interview
Psychologist gives tips
This is how families get through the Corona winter better
The second Corona winter in Germany is likely to be a burden, especially for families (symbol image)
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Germany is facing the second winter in the corona pandemic. In some places there is already a lockdown, in others it is imminent. Psychologist Annette Kruse explains in star-Interview how families can best get through this stressful situation.
The corona incidence in Germany has risen to unimagined heights, and some districts are already in lockdown again. The second Corona winter threatens to be the next endurance test for families. How parents, children, and adolescents cope with that doesn’t just depend on how intact the family is.
Ms. Kruse, you are a licensed child and adolescent psychotherapist. How stressed are children and young people due to the corona pandemic?
That is a very wide range. Some get through well, others are very stressed and exhausted in their adaptation efforts. In children and adolescents, this shows up through depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety and eating disorders. What can also be affected is the development of autonomy, i.e. the process of detachment from parents.
Statistics also show that domestic violence is increasing and there are more cases of obesity among children and adolescents.
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What role do friends play in this situation?
The less contact children and young people have with friends, the more they suffer from isolation. This is a problem especially with children of kindergarten and elementary school age, because their friendships mostly take place through the institution of daycare or school. Young people then often have friends through shared hobbies and can maintain contacts more independently with the help of the media. The little ones in particular need the support of their parents so that contact with friends and grandparents, for example, does not break off. Siblings can at least compensate for a lack of contact with friends a little.
What else is important so that families can survive a lockdown as well as possible?
The living situation, for example. Is there enough living space or a garden? Does the family have a pet? Of course, not every family should get an animal now, but if they already have a pet, this can help. But the family climate as a whole is also relevant: Is one of the parents sick or worried about their job? Do the parents have a lot of conflicts? It is also bad when parents are very afraid of Corona. I have seen children and young people who were no longer allowed to meet anyone. Or they were told not to touch anything and to constantly disinfect their hands. This harbors the risk that children will take on their parents’ fears and develop behavioral problems. It is and remains a challenge for parents to find a balance between physical and psychological well-being.
What is your advice to families in lockdown?
I always recommend maintaining a daily structure. Some children and adolescents stay awake for a long time and then sleep for a correspondingly long time. Often a disturbed day-night rhythm sets in. It is also good if there are defined time windows for completing school assignments, but afterwards there is also free time. Young people in particular with high self-demands and perfectionist tendencies find it difficult to draw the line between school and leisure time. If, for example, a teacher emails assignments at 10 p.m., they’ll sit down and answer them.
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Annette Kruse
is a qualified psychologist and child and adolescent psychotherapist. She works in a practice for child and adolescent psychiatry in Ahrensburg, Schleswig-Holstein.
Good self-care is particularly important in difficult times. Everyone should do something good for themselves, maybe you will discover a new hobby for yourself. A girl comes to me who likes to play with Playmobil. In lockdown, she then started to make stop-motion cartoons with the characters out of nothing but photos and to send them to a friend. She then sent some back and so the two stayed in contact. A project or topic that is fun and occupation helps in any case. Tinker with something, make music, bake, set a new record in jumping rope or teach the dog new tricks. However, parents should also give the children space. You also have a responsibility for yourself. Everyone should go their own way and do something for themselves.
How do you talk to children about the corona pandemic?
Parents should take their children’s fears and thoughts seriously. It is important to find a balance: You should neither gloss over something nor portray the situation as more catastrophic than it is. One should keep one’s optimism. And above all: limit the flood of information and deliberately discuss neutral or positive topics with the children from time to time