Two years ago, I wrote a series of articles on resilience where I defined resilience as the ability to withstand and rebound from serious life challenges. I feel pretty safe in saying that we’ve all been hit with some serious life challenges in recent times. 2020 is proving to be a year unlike any other.
As parents, it’s only natural that we want to shield and protect our children against facing difficulties and struggles, however, like us, our children have had to face enormous changes to their worldview. Uncertainty often breeds anxiety and all of us have certainly had more than our share of uncertainty to cope with. Uncertainty is scary for both adults and children. Our world has changed at break-neck speed in ways that we could never have imagined three months ago.
Our children’s formerly predictable world changed rapidly. Going to school, playing sports, having family outings, meeting up with friends and even seeing grandparents all stopped. We have no idea when they’ll resume. Things we’ve thought were solid have changed. Any illusion we may have had that we fully control our lives has been dismantled and we feel vulnerable. If we’re honest maybe we feel a little scared at times. What if somebody close to us develops COVID-19? What if our parents do? Will I get my job back? For parents of school aged children, it’s a worrying time as we wonder about their future. Will this affect their education? What’s the post-COVID world going to look like? Will this affect their mental well-being?
We can’t remove children from the situation they are in, but one of the best things we can do to help them through this time is to provide a caring and supportive family where they feel safe in being themselves and where they feel they belong. Having a close bond with a competent, emotionally stable caregiver is one of the most significant aids in developing resilience. Shared family time strengthens the bond between members and many families have more family time together at the moment than they have had in a long time. Definitely consider limiting the amount of exposure to news around COVID-19.
For myself, my faith in God and His Word, the Bible reminds me that He is in control – any idea that I was in control of my life is an illusion. I may not like what’s happening and struggle with the restrictions, but God is sovereign* in all things.
I’ll get through this, you will get through it and more importantly, your children will get through this and they will grow and develop resilience.
* If you’re interested in finding out more, John Piper’s latest book “Coronavirus and Christ” is available for free download. I have read it and found it to be most helpful and sound. https://www.desiringgod.org/books/coronavirus-and-christ
