The Challenges Of Parenting During Covid-19

While the Covid-19 pandemic has affected the lives of millions of people globally, it

seems the lives of parents and caregivers have taken on a new level of confusion and

unpredictability while the world tries to cope with the new normal. The stress of the pandemic

has impacted parents so greatly, with stress levels and depression on the rise, experts suggest it

should be treated as a mental health crisis (Grose). Parenting can be a very stressful and

demanding job, with parents questioning if they are doing what is best for their child constantly,

and now that job is even harder because there is truly no right answer during something most

haven’t experienced before. The lack of resources and face-to-face restrictions are leaving

parents feeling like they no longer have the proper amount of emotional support, which can

greatly affect their mental health (Grose). On top of that, many parents fear they won’t be able to

properly provide for their children since many people have suffered financially during the

pandemic, having to look towards government and local aid to feed their families. Even with the

pandemic making parenting an almost impossible and unbearable task at times, there are many

ways for parents to cope with the stress while maintaining healthy relationships with their

children.

Even with all of the added stresses caused by the pandemic alone, it is extremely

important for parents to keep their stress levels in check. This is why self-care during isolation is

even more important. A parent cannot properly care for their children if they aren’t taking care of

themselves as well (Caron). Experts suggest taking time out of your day for yourself, even if it’s

just five minutes, can help reduce stress levels (Grose). While some kids are more susceptible to

stress than others, children as early as three months can sense their parent’s emotions, and this

could affect their stress levels as well (Caron). It’s also very important for parents not to be
afraid to ask for help. Whether it is from family, friends, or a professional from a therapist app, if

you feel you need more emotional support reach out to someone. Studies have shown that higher

levels of stress in parents can lead to child abuse and neglect, and this can be heightened during a

pandemic where doctors and teachers, who are mandated to report child abuse, have much less

contact with children than they normally do (Wu and Xu).

While it is essential for parents to focus energy on their own mental health, it is also very

important for them to keep an eye on children of all ages during this time, because even if they

aren’t showing many signs of stress, their children still may be. Psychologists recommend taking

note of any regressions of skills, nightmares, change in eating habits, frequency of tantrums, or

an increase in aggression (Caron). All of these changes may point to your child becoming

stressed by the way their life has changed because of the pandemic. This is why parents must

make sure they have created a safe space for children to express themselves and openly speak

about how they feel while also reassuring them that this new way of life is only

temporary(Gianni).