To Take Care Of Children's Mental Health During A Pandemic, Experts Share 5 Tips To Build A Positive Home Atmosphere

JAKARTA – During the pandemic, especially when the rules for the Implementation of Restrictions on Community Activities are enforced, all activities outside the home are strictly limited. So parents work from home and children also go to school online and play at home.

Therefore, the boundaries between work and family activities are often blurred. This is very vulnerable to declining mental health, both for children and parents. How do you cope with or maintain mental health?

To celebrate National Children's Day, yesterday, Thursday, July 22, Tokopedia together with child psychologists, Fathya Artha Utami and Ria Tampler, owners of Utama Spice, shared tips for building a positive and comfortable home atmosphere. The goal is to maintain the mental health of children who are supported by happy parents.

Here are tips that can be your reference in building a comfortable and mentally healthy home atmosphere.

1. Maintain the balance between family and work

Dividing time is very instrumental in maintaining balance. You must know when is the time to be productive at work and know when to focus on family. This method is often missed because it is done under one roof. But the process needs to start by establishing a regular routine.

"The pandemic has encouraged more parents to work from home, so maintaining productivity while raising children can be a challenge", said Fathya.

2. Communicate all forms of emotion

Emotions are not just happy, happy, and excited. Anger, upset, tired, and disappointment are also included in the form of emotions. Both forms, both positive and negative, need to be regulated in expressing them.

For parents who in fact know how to regulate emotions, they tend to understand more about controlling emotions. But for children, it is necessary to get used to it from the beginning. Children may express emotions in a destructive manner, such as making toys messy and slamming things.

In conditions like this, parents need to set a good example. Parents also need to navigate their child's emotions that are not expressed verbally. The trick is to communicate.

You and your partner can ask your child, for example, 'Yes, I know you feel bad. Try to tell mom, why? What do you feel, boy? Who are you angry with? What makes you upset?'.

Fathya advises, communicate emotions with children honestly. The goal is for us as parents to know what children need.

3. Know the characteristics of children who are stressed

According to Fathya, the stress experienced by many children during the pandemic is due to the pressure that occurs at home. This needs to be recognized and known causes and characteristics. For example, the expression on his face seems more gloomy, not excited when playing, or even crying.

"Changes in behavior and emotional as well as physical complaints in children are some of the characteristics of stress that can be experienced by children", explained Fathya.

4. Accompanying children to manage emotions

“Just like parents, during a pandemic, children can feel sad, afraid, insecure, and frustrated. The difference is, parents are better able to manage and express emotions”, said Fathya.

Suggestions for parents, accompanying children in managing emotions, there are several steps. Fathya recommends 5 steps as follows:

• Face it calmly
• Assume all the feelings of your children are important
• Listen without distraction
• Remember to help manage your children's emotions
• Discuss options, limitations, and problem solutions

These five steps are an acronym for HADIR, these are enough to help parents to accompany their children so that their mental health is maintained while at home, including in a pandemic situation.

5. Do relaxation activities

Finally, how to maintain comfort at home is to do fun activities with the family, such as exercise together, meditation, and wearing a face mask together. Regarding fun activities, Ria Rapler provides suggestions for relaxation with aroma.

“The content of chamomile and ylang oil can provide a sense of calm. While the aroma of mint and eucalyptus can help maintain the immune system and healing. The scents of lavender, lemon, and orange are also safe for children”, explained Ria about aromatics.

What activities do you and your family usually do at home to build a sense of security, comfort, and positivity for mental health?