Being there for your kids - Being There in Tough Times

Episode Date: May 28, 2022

This pandemic has taken its toll on all of us. While things are much better, we're not there yet. How can you be there for your kids and for others in these tough times? The first letter is from grandparents who want to be active again. I counsel, go, but go slowly and with safeguards in place. A mom writes me about her son's best friend who is very ill from this pandemic. While encouraging her son to talk our his feelings, in his time frame, I also encourage creative ideas for the boy to be there for his best friend in these tough times.

Hi, I'm Dr. John Robinson, and this is Teachable Moments. I have two more letters for you today. Here's the first one. Dear Dr. Robinson, free at last. Free at last. Thank God Almighty, I'm free at last. Although I do believe that Black Lives Matter, my freedom comes from my wife and me getting our first COVID-19 vaccination and booster shots. We are elderly, well, not so elderly, grandparents, and haven't seen our six grandchildren and their parents for, coming up on two years. We've been very careful, and neither one of us has contracted the coronavirus, hand sanitizer, social distancing, double masking, no inside activities. While all of this diligence has probably saved our lives and the lives of our loved ones, we're still going bonkers. With getting our vaccinations and boosters, I now want to let loose. See everyone, travel, go back to the movies,

make up for our lost years. My wife, however, ever the cautious one, wants to, quote, wait and see, end quote. What's with that? Haven't we done that already? Signed, Raring to go. Dear RTG, I hear you. These past years have been a mess for all of us, and we get no reward for going by the rules and playing it safe. What a bummer. Unfair. And yet, you know that your wife is right. While the numbers are on the downside, most any event has the potential for,

being a super spreader. Multiple coronavirus variants are out there, and another surge lingers. Letting lose too early or without safeguards, just because you're building immunity with the vaccine, could come back to bite you. At your ages, you want to make the most of all the time you have left. Here are some thoughts. First, keep steady with all of your safeguards. If you want to visit others, make sure that all involved have already been vaccinated. Keep on with your hand sanitizer, social distancing, elbow bumps, and double masking. Second, watch the numbers. Follow the advice of the experts.

I know that be patient is cliche, but you don't want tragedy to happen to you or your loved ones. Third, as the numbers keep improving, talk together about planning trips that have been put off, friends that you haven't had over, entertainment and dining out that you have foregone during the pandemic. Planning always evokes hopefulness and hopefulness lifts the spirit. Continue to be cautious and look forward to not now, but soon. Blessings, Dr. John.

Here's another letter. Dear Dr. Robinson, my eight-year-old son, Mason, has been best friends with Joey forever. They are always at each other's house, playing, horsing around, just having fun. They are in the same grade at school. We just about adopted Joey, and Joey's parents have adopted our Mason. Recently, Joey's mom told me that he has contracted multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children. That's M-I-S-C. This is freaking my husband and me out, especially in that Joey's parents are our best friends as well. They just took him to the hospital, and we don't know how long his treatment will be, or even if he will survive. Poor baby. He's only eight years old.

So, Mason knows his father and I are upset about all of this. He's laying low, but also trying to be helpful. Of course, he has no concept of how deadly this M-I-S-C can be. He just wants to be with Joey and make him better. How in the world do I help him and us get through this? Signed, Frazzled. Dear Frazzled, wow, it's one thing to be careful and mindful during the pandemic. It's quite another when the whole deadliness of it all hits so close to home.

I'm really sorry you folks and Mason are having to deal with all of this. so personally. It sounds like you folks are raising a great kid. Also, Mason seems to be a great friend to Joey. After talking to each other, sit him down to let him know about Joey's condition in detail that his age will understand. If he doesn't want to talk, gives you a one-word answer, or clams up, accept that, and let him know that you will be glad to talk to him when he's ready. afterward ask if he has any questions about all of it use your active listening with tears and hugs to hear his feelings and questions while visiting joey in the hospital is out of the question brainstorm other ways that mason and joey could connect until or unless his health declines they can of course zoom or facetime together joy may not feel like doing much so help mason put together a personalized get-well card maybe having their teacher and all their classmen mates sign it. Encourage Mason to draw Joey a picture, maybe if something Joey loves, or that he and Mason have enjoyed doing together. Keep in touch with Joey's parents.

Spearhead a round of casseroles or other meals so that they can keep their focus on Joey and his recovery. Lots of face time and zooming all around. All of you will stay in my thoughts and prayers. Be safe and use all of the mitigations. Blessings, Dr. John. If these letters stir questions of your own, contact me through my website at www. www. TherefrommyKids.com or email me at John Robinson 0.0.0.Belsouth.net. I'm Dr. Jonathan C. Robinson, licensed clinical psychologist, and Christian author of Teachable Moments, building blocks of Christian parenting. And this has been,

Teachable Moments. Teachable Moments, Building Blocks of Christian Parenting, is available online at AmazonBooks.com and in local and national bookstores. More on Dr. Robinson at TMC-P-I-N-C.com.