It makes sense to try to retain a level of stability in an uncertain world. But, developing a routine to suit everyone in the household can be a real challenge.
Category: Covid-19
Watch: Supporting my family’s mental health
Without a doubt, supporting young people during the pandemic has been a challenge.
Some parents have started to find ways to adapt, and many are still tearing their hair out.
Know you’re not alone
There is no easy answer or magic bullet when it comes to supporting young people’s mental health. However, it can be useful to hear what others are doing and know you are not alone!
To support parents in supporting young people, Jigsaw are running a series of webinars on relevant topics for parents.
In this video, parents Bríd and Gerry share things they do to support the mental health of their young people.
Webinar: Supporting young people to stay positive
We ran a webinar for parents on Monday, 27 April where two Jigsaw clinicians gave a presentation on supporting young people to stay positive and motivated. They then took questions from parents about what was going on for them.
The lockdown has gone on longer than any of us could have foreseen at the beginning and is now what people are calling the ‘new normal’. However, it can still feel far from normal particularly with things like school, college and work suspended, uncertain or over in some cases.
Keeping yourself and the young people in your life positive and motivated right now can take a bit of of extra work. Hopefully, this webinar covers useful tips for you to try at this time.
Webinar: Supporting your own mental health in lockdown
We ran a webinar for parents where two Jigsaw clinicians gave a presentation about supporting your mental health while social distancing. They then took questions from parents about what was going on for them.
The new measures can still throw up a lot of uncertainty and disappointment about plans that either have to postponed, or canceled. Keeping yourself and the young people in your life positive and motivated right now can take a bit of of extra work. Hopefully, this webinar covers useful tips for you to try at this time.
Webinar: Supporting young people to manage anxiety
We ran a webinar for parents about supporting young people to manage anxiety during these unusual times.
In this recording, Jen and Fiona, provided an overview of what anxiety is along with some practical coping strategies. They then took questions from parents. The video below is a recording of the webinar.
Webinar: Helping young people manage disappointment
We ran a webinar for parents about helping young people manage disappointment. In this recording, Maebh and Dan gave a short presentation. They then took questions from parents. The video above is a recording.
Struggling with schoolwork at home
Without being able to go to class because of Covid-19, you may have been forced to do all your school work from home.
Up until recently, school more than likely involved direct teacher support, and a structured learning environment. Self-guided study is not something that comes naturally to many of us.
Whether school was something you loved or hated, having to do school work from home can bring a whole new set of challenges. These can differ depending on your circumstances but can include:
- Feeling overwhelmed with the volume of work
- Not understanding what’s required, or feeling lost
- Not having a decent computer/device or enough phone data to access online work
- A lack of a quiet workspace to concentrate
- Having to care for others in the household
- Feeling there is no point in keeping up with schoolwork, particularly with uncertainty around exams.
If you’re struggling to keep on top of schoolwork, you could also experience feelings of guilt, frustration, anger or stress. Know that you’re not on your own. It could be really helpful to reach out and let teachers know how you are managing.
Below, watch teacher Darren Byrne talks about staying connected with school.
Grief and loss in exceptional times
During the past few months so much has changed in our world. Certain things continue – people get sick, people die, people die suddenly. And sadly, many people have died of Covid-19.
But, everything feels quite different now, when the usual rituals and coming together are no longer available to us. There is no right way to feel or to grieve the loss of someone we love.
However, there might be some things we can do to ease the pain and strangeness a little. Of course, they will be different for everyone and it’s about finding your own way.
Feeling anxious as society reopens
Lockdown life since March 2020 brought about many changes for all of us. The easing of restrictions may be very welcome but can bring some feelings of anxiety along with them.
One of the biggest changes for the last year was our social interactions. The on-again off-again seeing people outside the home, led to some creative ways to stay connected. But, it has been a challenge for many to not be able to visit their support systems.
Disappointment and Covid-19
Many of us have felt a sense of disappointment and loss since March 2020, when the first lockdown began. Life as we knew it, stopped in its tracks.
There we were walking through life and a roadblock was dragged in front of us. Parties, socialising with friends, holidays, exams, graduations or going to work all needed to be cancelled.
We lost the freedom to plan activities into the future, or spontaneously do things for enjoyment. Nearly 2 years on, and strict lockdown measures have been put back in place, bringing renewed uncertainty, frustration and disappointment.