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Survival Tips for Parenting Under Quarantine

By Candy Burden, Children's Pastor

Okay. Let’s face it, we’re officially in Crazy Town! Schedules and routines have been thrown out the window and we’re all struggling to come up with a new normal. Parents, one day you picked your kids up from school only to discover you wouldn’t be taking them back, like ever. The first few days felt like a fun little vacation, but as things drag on you feel like you’re fighting off chaos or perhaps a full-blown kid coup.

We’re all in uncharted waters here and feeling overwhelmed and anxious is natural. Here are a few steps you can take to help manage your household while you develop a new normal:

Establish a routine – Kiss the “never-ending vacation goodbye!” Call a family meeting, let everyone know that it’s time to map out the entire day, and get everyone on a schedule. An established routine will help alleviate the stress that comes with uncertainty.

Get outside – I cannot emphasize this enough! Your entire family needs to get outside several times a day. Take long walks, encourage your kids to run and play outside, have an outdoor reading time or do chalk art on the driveway! Sunlight and fresh air have an amazing affect on our overall wellbeing, so get out there!

Turn off the news – No news marathons, especially in front of your kids. For the most part, the news isn’t uplifting, and your kids may be listening even when you feel certain they’re not. I know it’s important for you as parents to stay regularly informed, but consider doing so when the kids aren’t in the room. Let’s be honest here, this is a concerning situation for everyone and kids are experiencing some fear too. Let’s help minimize that fear by controlling what they see and hear.

Stay connected with others – There may be a shortage on toilet paper, but thankfully the Wi-Fi still works! This is good news, so use this tool to stay connected with your family and friends during this time of social distancing. Most of our church small groups are regularly meeting through virtual platforms like Zoom and we offer live streaming of our worship services every Sunday at 10 am. Isolation is not healthy, so don’t fall into the trap of feeling like you are alone. Stay connected.

Focus outward – If your resources and health are good, see how you can help others. Leave a note or gift on neighbor’s porch. Have your kids draw pictures for your elderly family, friends and neighbors. Pick up groceries for someone who shouldn’t be out. Use this window of time to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

Most importantly, take care of your spiritual health – Parents, by a show of hands, how many of you are at an 8 or above on the 10-point stress scale? Yep, that’s what I thought. You’re managing a major situation that even a month ago, you had no idea existed. You weren’t prepared for this. None of us were prepared for this. However, I can assure you that God was not caught off guard. Draw close to Him - commit to a daily time of Bible study and prayer alone with God. Let Him use this unprecedented time strengthen your faith.

Need more information on joining a virtual small group? Need more parenting support? Do you have a physical or prayer need? We’re here for you! Contact us at 936.321.5505 or email FBCassist@faithbible.church.
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