No one saw this coming, so no one was fully prepared for it. The Covid-19 pandemic caught us all off-guard and it has affected millions worldwide in many ways. We are still in the midst of it as far as case counts are concerned, and despite a loosening of the Movement Control Order and a bit more freedom now to go about our daily lives, it doesn’t look like the pandemic itself will be fully apprehended anytime soon.
In this month’s special guide, we take a look at how parents can continue to give their best despite the limitations and restrictions brought about by the pandemic. We’ll also check out a few examples of what parents are doing differently now compared to before Covid-19.
Making necessary and helpful changes
- Stay at home when you can. Everyone including new parents and parents in young families has been urged to try their best to stay at home, and to leave the house only when necessary, such as to go to work, grocery shopping, visits to the doctor’s office, etc. The main aim of this is to curb the spread of the Covid-19 virus.
- Eat more home-cooked meals. While you are still able to order a meal via FoodPanda, GrabFood and so on, it’s so much healthier, and not to mention, more economical, to cook your own meals. Check out healthy recipes on the internet if you run out of ideas!
- Wash or sanitise your hands frequently. This is crucial, especially if you have just been out of the house. Washing or sanitising your hands will help to kill germs that you may have accidentally brought home, including the Covid-19 virus.
- Wear a face mask when you leave the house. This is actually a nationwide law now in Malaysia and you can be fined up to RM1000 if you’re caught without one in a public area.
- Keep your entire home clean. It’s important to keep things hygienic so as to not breed any surface germs that may cause an illness to you or a family member. Now that more members will be at home most of the time, the need for this increases…
- Try to keep your family’s morale up. This is crucial especially when things get stressful at home, from not being able to go places as you like, as freely as before. Do whatever it takes to help cheer up your family members and put a smile back on their faces – offer praises, tell jokes, etc.
Attending to your child’s educational needs
- Read to your child. It doesn’t matter if your child is a preschooler, toddler or just a baby, reading to him or she will help keep the interest in books and reading alive.
- Choose good TV programmes for them to watch. Give them choices (kids love to choose!), among some pre-selected programmes to keep them entertained.
- Help them with their homework. Regardless if schools and kindergartens have reopened or not, children will always appreciate their parents’ help and guidance with their homework.
- Shop online for books/stationery. This will eliminate the need to go out to bookstores. You can also allow your child to have a hand in choosing some books and stationery.
- Encourage the picking up of a new language. Make full use of your child’s powerful subconscious mind by playing language-learning audio as white noise at home for a few hours a day.
- Play educational games with your child. Bring on some enjoyable card games, or simple board games and have some fun. Well, certain video games may also be great, but select them appropriately for some educational fun.
- Communicate well with your little one. It’s easy to forget to talk to your child when you’re too caught up with the goings-on of the world via your social media, TV, etc, so ensure that a healthy communication line is always there.
Three golden rules if you’re a new mom during the pandemic
- Avoid panicking whenever your baby cries, for it will only make matters seem worse. All babies cry no matter what, so keep calm and soothe your baby.
- Don’t shy away from asking for help if you need it. Call a relative or close friend and ask for some advice if you are feeling overwhelmed.
- Get as much sleep as you possibly can. The golden advice is to sleep when your baby is sleeping, no matter what else you feel like doing.
Keeping your family healthy
- Prepare wholesome meals. Nothing beats home-cooked wholesome meals which are lovingly prepared by mom, using fresh and healthy ingredients.
- Make sure your family gets enough exercise. Being sedentary for too long isn’t good for anyone, so ensure that your family gets enough exercise, either in the garden, parking lot, or even indoors.
- Offer fresh fruits for snacks. Instead of allowing your kids to load up on unhealthy snacks, offer them cut fruits instead, for an instant boost of vitamins and fibre.
- Ensure your indoor air is clean. Open up the windows now and then, to allow the flow of fresh air into your home. With more people staying indoors, this is crucial to avoid stale air circulating in your home.
- Ensure your family is adequately hydrated. Hydration can have many adverse effects on the human body, so remind every family member to drink enough water, and see to it that your little ones are well-hydrated too.
- Ensure your family gets enough nutrients with appropriate supplements. Multivitamins, as well as probiotics, will help to close off any nutritional gaps they may have, for as we all know, it’s not easy to get everything we need in our daily meals.
- Be sensitive to their emotional wellbeing. Being healthy isn’t just a physical matter but it’s an emotional one as well. Ensure that your family is emotionally healthy by means of proper communication and by being sensitive to their emotional needs.
A time to reinvent stay-at-home family time
Evelyn Nadal, 39. Model, mom of one and co-Director of ARP Elite Model.
As parents, my hubby and I considered the time during the lockdown as an opportunity to reinvent ways of being at home with the family, learning, exploring the immediate environment and making the most of what they had available. It helped us as a family in building resilience in ourselves, and we also figured out ways to help each other to cope in difficult moments. Although this crisis has obviously taken its toll on humanity, it also provided an opportunity for generations to unite and perhaps begin to shape our younger generations to think differently about their own individual roles and how we as individuals can all contribute in our own way to find a solution to collective problems.
Take care of yourself
As a parent, you should be sure to take care of yourself physically: eat healthy, exercise and get enough sleep. Find ways to decompress and take breaks. If your husband is home, take turns watching the children if possible.
Seeing to my kids’ needs come first
Finaz Shamsuddin, 33. Model, housewife, expectant mom of 3.
This pandemic hit us hard at first, but we have gotten used to it now. One out of many good things that came out of it is that the kids have developed a new habit of keeping themselves clean all the time. Also, we get to spend more time together at home nowadays, no more rushing or chasing time. We have created a lot of new activities at home as well as acquired new skills in cooking, painting, video-making, etc. As parents, my husband and I had to get creative with ideas to fulfil our children’s needs. We get to save money too, compared to when we always went out. The downside is, we could not take them out for playdates, or go out to the playground, or even for a family picnic. For kids, it’s a big deal, for they love being with their friends to do kids’ stuff. At times, they can get quite restless, and we do worry that it’s not healthy for them to spend too much time indoors with not much sunshine and away from nature. So, it’s still an ongoing process of educating them about the situation and helping them go through these stressful times.
More careful now and ever before
Iza Iskandar, 34. Model, mom of two.
The pandemic has changed my family’s lifestyle in many ways. We seldom bring our children outside and most of the time we stay at home and take care of household matters. We are very concerned about their health and safety. This is very different from before the pandemic when we used to live without so much fear. What worries me the most is the spread of the virus, for it has affected the way the kids learn and the way our family earns a living. My five-year-old daughter has to undergo online classes these days, and since there is no eye contact with anyone including the teachers, and no socialising with friends, it’s quite difficult for her. As her parents, we also have to pay extra attention to her study schedule since it’s in our hands now. This can sometimes be inconvenient, especially when we need to work. We’ve cut off all outdoor activities and avoid going to crowded places. We’ve also limited socialising with friends. Since we also have a 4-month old baby girl, we don’t encourage visitors to our home either, except close family members and certain friends. We can’t be too careful during these uncertain times.
Less spending power, but more time with my family!
Munirah Aminudeen, 28. Expectant housewife, mother of one.
Now I have 24/7 of my time dedicated to my family owing to the fact that I’m at home as a full-time mom, looking after my baby. Before this, I was working at an events company which always took a lot of my time, especially on weekends. The company has since closed due to the pandemic, leaving me to focus 100% on my family, which is a blessing, for I am able to see my baby grow and develop everyday. Our lifestyle now is more or less the same, except now, we are fully covered by my husband. With the banks giving moratoriums out, it does help a lot in terms of managing our finance. My husband gets to save more money for my current family and our upcoming baby soon. The difference to me is, I have less spending power now compared to when I had a job.
Precautions to take when going out with your family
Avoid venturing into places known to have Covid-19 cases if you can help it. Other than that, here are some current rules of thumb.
- Wear a face mask as soon as you step out of the house or the car, and ensure that each of your family members is wearing one too.
- Encourage each family member to carry a small bottle of hand sanitiser with them to keep their hands clean.
- If you intend to eat out, select your choice of eatery based on its cleanliness as well as how well they adhere to the current SOPs.
- Mind your social distance, especially with strangers, when you’re out and about with your family.
- Be extra cautious when you are visiting elderly relatives, for they are a vulnerable lot – avoid physical contact, keep a safe social distance, and ensure you have your face mask on all the time.
- Wash or sanitise your hands and change your clothing if possible, as soon as you reach home after an outing, especially to places like hospitals, clinics, supermarkets, etc.
Connect with others
If you are a new parent, social distancing during the COVID-19 outbreak can be isolating, and for some, even demotivating. Try video chats or social media to stay in touch with relatives and friends who you can’t meet in person.
