Even though school buildings are closed, many schools are operating outreach sites for free meal distribution. Click on this link to see an Ohio map for available meal service in your area. Contact your school or district for details about their meal programs if you have questions!
Resource Topic: COVID-19
Cincinnati Children’s: Helping Families Adapt to Disruptions Caused by Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Cincinnati Children’s has curated a bank of resources to help parents and families respond to the disruptions of school, work, travel, and every other aspect of life caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Check back regularly as these resources are updated weekly!
Navigating Your Legal Rights and Responsibilities During Covid-19 Pandemic
Legal Aid of Greater Cincinnati has an FAQ series which explains your legal rights and responsibilities on a variety of important topics such as paying your rent or mortgage, paying taxes, paying loans, protecting your credit, and going to court. The FAQs also contain current information on key deadlines and next steps for you to take regarding your legal issue. Just click on the links to read or to download and print.
Ways to Keep Kids Exercising During COVID-19
Have you noticed increased irritability in your household? You’re not alone! Dr. Kelsey Logan from Cincinnati Children’s Sports Medicine says “brains need physical activity to stay psychologically healthy. If your child has stopped exercising, you may notice an increase in emotions, especially irritability. ” Dr. Logan’s shares helpful tips to stay active while staying at home!
Attention Parents: It’s OK to Ask For Help!
The roller coaster of parenting is exhausting. One day you have so many parenting wins you feel like people should be consulting you about how to be a parent! The very next day is like someone gave you a whole new set of children, and nothing seems to go right. So, if we all acknowledge parenting is exhausting, why is it so hard to ask for help?
The Joining Forces for Children team created a helpful tip sheet to make it easier to reach out for concrete support when you need it most! Click below to see how local parents are supporting one another.
Parenting in the Time of COVID-19
Can’t go to work? Schools closed? Worried about money? It is normal to feel stressed and overwhelmed.
To help parents interact constructively with their children during this time of confinement, the World Health Organization published six one-page tips for parents and caregivers on planning one-on-one time, staying positive, creating a daily routine, avoiding bad behavior, managing stress, and talking about COVID-19. These tip sheets are available in 13 languages!
Use them to your and your kids’ advantage, and have fun! Laughing, having fun and building positive memories can help the whole family reduce stress.
Talking to Kids About Stressful Situations
One of the best things about the internet? Resources at our fingertips.
One of the worst things about the internet? Resources at our fingertips.
With so much information out there, how are we expected to really know what’s going to help our kids? It helps to look for the common themes. For example, are you wondering how to talk to your kids about stressful situations, such as COVID-19?
Common themes most experts are recommending:
- Remain calm and reassuring: If you remain calm when they are not, they will eventually feel and mirror your calm.
- Make yourself available to talk: Disconnect from whatever task needs to be done and focus all of your attention on your child. Respond with love and assure them you are here for them no matter what. You might say, for example, “You are scared right now, and that is OK. We will get through this together.”
- Avoid blaming: Most of the time stressful situations are complicated. Blaming one person or group actually causes more anxiety for children. Instead, help your family focus on what they can control, like hand washing!
- Limit access to social media and TV: It’s OK to turn off the news for a little while. Constant focus on the crisis at hand increases everyone’s anxiety. Focus on making positive memories with your child while you take a break from social media and the news. Eventually, a conversation starter might be “what did you do during the COVID-19 crisis?” Provide them with some cool memories to talk about in the future!
- Maintain a normal routine to the extent possible: Keep a regular schedule. Structure promotes a feeling of safety.
- Be honest and accurate: If kids don’t have the facts, they will often use their imagination to fill in the blanks. Avoid this by answering your child’s questions honestly. Remember, it’s OK not to have all the answers. Just reassure them that you love them and you will get through this together.
Helpful links:
What to say when the news is scary:
https://www.npr.org/2019/04/24/716704917/when-the-news-is-scary-what-to-say-to-kids
Raising Kids Who Thrive: