COVID-19 and its Impact

Students have faced a big disruption in their university life. Your child may be feeling confused, anxious, angry, or upset that their plans and routines have changed. Their access to campus may be limited or none at all. And online coursework may be overwhelming in the least. The adjustment period has been disorienting and it is important to recognize that there’s no right way to respond to it.

Your university-age child is in a phase of life where they are supposed to be exploring life outside their family home, developing social skills and experimenting new things. Right now, they are hyper-aware of what they are missing. Although online classes and cancelled campus events may not seem like a big deal to you, it may feel catastrophic to your child. It’s very hard to see your child in pain, and your immediate response may be to minimize their experiences, suggest distracting activities, or encourage them to focus on a future time when the pandemic is over. But you should understand, right now what they need is to feel heard and understood rather than any solution from you. Validate their feelings without trying to fix or change them.

Tips for Parents to Help their Children Adapt to Online Environment

The biggest adjustment that the pandemic has entailed is the switch to online learning. While students are struggling with this, below are a few suggestions to help your child get through this phase:

• Provide them with a physical space in the house that is relatively secluded/has less distractions. It is important to acknowledge the fact that they need ‘their space’ to work during their scheduled times and to attend classes.
• It is important to establish boundaries between home, university, and work. Respect the fact that when your child is in “university mode” do not distract or interrupt them, specifically between classes. If you are working from home, this could be beneficial as you both can have separate workspaces.
• Try to check up on your child’s academic performance just like you would when they were living away. You can help them plan their work ahead, divide their time efficiently, help them form a routine if they are struggling with it, and even make family plans according to their schedule.
• Your child might feel more burdened and overwhelmed with work in the online learning environment. It’s important to validate their emotions and to provide them the comfort to share their thoughts with you. While you may not exactly help them with their concerned task, let them know that you are there if they want to vent it out. While they are away from their friends, your child will find comfort in knowing that they can talk about their concerns to someone in the house. Try to be more empathetic.
• Your child might feel more disconnected and distressed. With increased screen time for work, encourage them to take short breaks in the middle. Plan healthy activities with them, encourage them to pick up a productive hobby, and lastly while you’re in this together, use this time to connect better with them!