Remaining resourceful and adequate is quite a challenge today. And it doesn’t matter if the family is abroad or staying at home because the sense of security is damaged, plans for nine months are impossible, and nervous swings are gaining amplitude. And at the same time, parents face an essential issue: how to cope with it on their own, and where to get the inner resource to help children.
– To provide for a child’s normal development, their parents should create the best possible conditions. Remember that our children will live in a prosperous Ukraine, – says Iryna Basista. – Anxiety, apathy, or irritation are raging inside us now. The family is the place where we spend the most time. And it depends on us – whether we will reflect our feelings and destroy an atmosphere of kindness or whether we will create an “island of fulfillment” and be able to draw from the family a resource for interaction with the world. The choice is ours.
How to improve the climate in the family – advice from Iryna Basista:
– use all available self-recovery methods (sports, breathing, drinking water regularly, meditation, hugs, snowball making, etc.), and work together with the child or the whole family.
– if necessary, visit psychologists (for now, free online help is sufficient);
– spend time together with children playing games, drawing, and sculpting, especially when there is no light, you may have more time for family;
– lower the demands on yourself and the child in terms of education and behavior (it can no longer be the way it was before the war);
– replace criticism with support – first of all, in conversations and self-evaluation, and then to other people around you;
– review the functions and roles of each family member, as they may change. And that’s okay!
Neuroscientists prove that hugs, warm relationships, and physical activity help to cope with stress and anger. The given methods are only examples. Look for and find those methods that create a pleasant atmosphere and calmness in your family.
The “Unbreakable Mom” rehabilitation program was developed by specialists in psychology and post-traumatic syndromes for women and children affected by war. It is a 3-week offline camp, where psychologists work with the project participants, followed by online support for three months.
