Promoting Resilient Families During COVID-19
Current events related to the COVID-19 virus can be stressful and confusing for families and communities. When adults are distressed, it can feel overwhelming to also consider how to help your children understand this evolving situation. Our team at the Center for Childhood Resilience (CCR) would like to share some ideas for caregivers and other adults working with children that we believe can be helpful as we all cope with the changing information, recommendations and limitations to our normal routines and activities.
We will provide updates and links to reliable resources to this website, so please check back frequently and share our information with others.
COVID-19 Call Center
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital offers a COVID-19 Call Center at 312.227.5300. The Call Center is staffed by Lurie Children’s nurses and is available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and weekends, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Social workers and child life specialists are available to help parents/caregivers with community referrals or coping resources.
Center for Childhood Resilience is available to connect with you during this time via Facebook, Twitter, or email at ccr@luriechildrens.org.
Preguntas de COVID Respondidas (En Espanol)
Primary Role of Parents and Caregivers in a Crisis
The most important role that parents and caregivers can provide for children and young people is to reassure them that the adults are taking the lead to establish and maintain their overall safety. We may not have all the answers immediately, but we are sorting out options and taking care of their needs. Similarly, we may all have questions and fears, but we can support one another to get answers and cope with our different feelings.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has identified the presence of safe, stable, and nurturing adults as the most important protective factor for children and young people in the face of stress and adversity. The CCR team believes that focusing on three key principles can help children cope with a range of stressors, including our current situation.
Creating a safe environment includes providing a physically and emotionally safe space in which kids can be kids and feel comfortable seeking information and understanding what is expected for them and others.
Building relationships and connectedness starts by providing opportunities and activities for children to enjoy time with their parents, siblings, and when possible, their extended family and community.
Supporting and teaching emotion regulation starts by acknowledging that all of us (adults and children) are understandably experiencing many complex feelings and helping them learn and use age-appropriate ways to express those feelings safely and to feel better.
Culture and Equity include the collection of historical experiences and struggles of your family or community. Cultural respect is displayed when we honor the richness of cultural traditions and practices of our diverse communities, even when they differ from our own. Equity is shown in how we fight for justice and share resources.
Taking care of yourself is an important part of being a parent. It can be challenging to prioritize time for yourself when we have so many other people and things to take care of in our family. You have to first take care of yourself before you can focus on others.
Below are resources for parents, caregivers and other professionals that provide information, support physical and emotional safety, and help children and adults alike manage stress in healthy ways. As always, we are available to connect with you via Facebook, Twitter, or email at ccr@luriechildrens.org.