The lockdown, caused by the global Covod19 pandemic, has affected different people differently. But the most affected ones are our kids, who have suddenly become alienated from their peer group and from the normal routine life they were living. This alienation has brought about severe upheaval in the lives of many young children, who have become more aggressive and stubborn than earlier.

In fact, many parents are complaining of the unruly behavior being exhibited by their kids over the last few months primarily due to the lockdown blues.  Many children have suddenly started throwing tantrums or have started screaming and shouting on incredibly trivial things, which they never portrayed earlier. Further, some kids have even started hitting their parents, which they never did until this crisis as observed by many parents.

Some notable child psychologists and psychiatrists are of the view that kids are getting more and more depressed because they are missing their friends, their peer groups, school, normal activities etc.

Like adults, kids are also going through different emotional turmoil due to the lockdown but their way of expressing the same is different than adults. Kids express their sadness and anxiety by yelling, crying or screaming hard and so on. Now the question is – how to deal with such behavior if you see the same anxiety in your kids? How can you control kids who are acting out, especially during the lockdown? 

Of course, the first and the foremost thing is to help kids to sail through these hard moments and to stop further meltdowns in the future. Parents must support children emotionally and allow them to express their feelings freely.  Here are few tips that might help –

• Identify the root cause of the sudden change in behavior  –

Since most kids are confined in their houses without much peer interaction and social support, they are seeking more attention from parents. This is one of the primary causes of the change in behavior and the sudden meltdown among kids.

As such, with most parents working from home and tending to household chores and numerous other daily activities, it is becoming quite a task to maintain routine and to get enough time for kids.

However, scheduling routine and sparing time for kids to have meals together, to play a game,  or to do some activity together is important as it allow you to spend time with your kids and

understand their state of mind. That way, you can also try to find the cause of their anxiety or mood swing.

• Help kids to cope with the problem –

By trying to validate their feelings, parents can try to connect with kids.  Just tell them that you understand their state of mind and the emotions that they are going through. Make them realize that you also go through the same feelings at times, and it is quite natural.

Try to pacify them by hugging them and telling them that you are always there to listen to them and help them cope with any situation. Talk to them about their feelings and what’s going on in their mind.

• Help kids with lessons on emotion and sharing of feelings –

It is important to impart lessons on emotion to kids as they grow to make them identify and express them well. This helps in fostering personal growth and wellbeing of the child as well as helps them to succeed on the personal and professional front in future.  With small kids, parents can discuss various emotions that they come across so that they can recognize it if they undergo the same. As such for young children who don’t realize the emotional upheaval they undergo, it becomes a challenge to express them.

So by talking to them about the different emotions and feelings, parents might be able to help kids to regulate those emotions. Also, you can encourage your kids to share their emotions with you. This way, you can help in strengthening your child’s habit of sharing emotions even when they are in their teens. 

What parents primarily need is to show patience and support to the kids and to make them realize that this too shall pass.

 However, if you think you need further assistance, you might consult other parents, friends, or take professional help from child counsellors. Sharing thoughts will let you get more ideas to deal with the situation and control it accordingly in your way.