Parenting in crowded homes and communities

Keeping your family healthy and safe from COVID-19 can feel even harder when you live in crowded conditions. There are things you can do to make this easier for your family.

Stay where you are

• Limit those leaving and returning to your immediate living space to as few and as infrequent as possible
• Only leave your household or area for essential reasons like getting food or medical attention
• Help your children with physical distancing
• Explain to your children that they have an important job of keeping themselves and their community healthy by temporarily physically distancing from others
• Show them extra positive attention when they make an effort to practice safe physical distancing from others

Make handwashing and hygiene fun!

• It might be hard to find soap and water, but practicing good hygiene is more important now than ever
• Try to wash all family members’ hands as often as possible
• Let children teach each other how to wash their hands
• Encourage children to avoid touching their face

Share the load

• Looking after children and other family members is difficult in cramped spaces, but it’s much easier when responsibilities are shared
• Try to share household chores, childcare, and other tasks equally amongst family members
• Create a schedule for time “on” and time “off” with other adults in your household
• It is okay to ask for help when you are feeling tired or stressed so that you can take a break

Exercise daily

• Encourage children to think of activities they can do to exercise while avoiding contact with who do not live already in your immediate space
• Jumping activities, dancing or running in circles can be fun!

Take a Pause

• You might not have space to yourself to deal with all the stress and emotions you are feeling
• Notice when you are feeling stressed or upset and take a pause…even three deep breaths can make a difference!

Well done! Millions of families find that this helps.

Keep using Tips 1-6: Keeping positive, having a routine and trying to get some one-to-one time with each child when you can will help you manage your child behaviours and your feelings.

Click here to download the full tips