Excited to be out of the house today, I went shopping. Walking into a store, I saw a sea of face masks. As I walked around, I saw eyes of every shape and size—many of them filled with caution and fear—and I heard the unspoken words, do not stand in my space, stay back!
While waiting in line to check out, I was behind a lady who had several children with her. At one point, the lady turned around and looked back at me. Thinking to myself, did I accidentally invade her space? I quickly looked around to be sure I was staying 6 feet apart and obeying all the rules.
In the good ol’ days, children were free to walk with their parents unmasked. Some would smile. Others would wave. Some would even say, “Hi”. The children with the lady at the store today did turn and look at me, but I was disturbed by the look in their eyes. They were filled with fear, paranoia, and confusion. I smiled but quickly realized that with my mask on they couldn’t see my smile. So I waved to let them know I was safe.
The look in this lady’s children’s eyes seemed to be the same for all the children in line—eyes filled with anxiety, fear, and confusion as they stood in line with their mom’s waiting to check out. I wondered what their mothers might’ve said to them about the Covid-19 crises. Did they tell them it was OK to be seen at the store but not heard? Did they tell them not to speak to anyone because they could get infected with germs and possibly die?
Adults are doing their best to manage and adjust to this strange new normal. But children are having difficulty coping as they walk out of their homes armed with masks and hand sanitizer wipes. Those children’s eyes today expressed isolation, fear, and depression. Adults are having difficulty with this pandemic too, but children are at a fragile time in their formative years. Makes you wonder what sort of impression this quarantine will leave on our little ones?
This is a good time to explore who we are and inspire our children to do the same. Spend quality time together, encourage open and honest communication. Listen to what your child has to say, and yes, talk about it. Acknowledge inner struggles, yours, and theirs. Help your children understand what the world is going through with this pandemic. Make them feel safe, prepare healthy meals together, exercise daily, and do your best to get a good night’s sleep. Encourage outdoor activities. Nature has a way of healing our whole being.
Start your day by smiling. Every time we smile, it stimulates a little feelgood party in our brain. Smiling activates neural messaging that benefits our physical and mental health and happiness.
Forced to wear face masks, our children are being taught to read eyes. Set a good example for them. Smile, wave, and say hello. The eyes speak a thousand words. And let them know that everything is going to be OK.
