I’m so thrilled to be gifting you this article as part of my ‘Small Biz Shout Out’ series. As the parent of a child who suffers with anxiety, it was comforting to chat to Kim from Rainbow Light Therapies to get a better understanding of how we can help our children process the plethora of information we’re faced with right now, without overwhelming them.

I know how fantastic Kim’s work is, as my own family have worked with her, and have had great success through her gentle and effective guidance. I trust Kim implicitly to give us all the best information when it comes to helping our children, so here it is.

Kim – Rainbow Light Therapies

Firstly, how are you feeling Kim, and how do you manage your emotions in the face of this unprecedented pandemic?

I am actually grieving at the moment. Grieving for a holiday that was 12 months in the planning and will now be cancelled. We were scheduled to go to Italy for 3.5 weeks in June/July this year.
Whilst grieving for that holiday I am trying to focus on ‘the good’ that may come out of this and to practise ‘gratitude’ wherever I can.  Hopefully we will see a huge shift in humanity and, a shift that will bring us back to ‘us’ and ‘we’ rather than the ‘me’ mentality we seem to be in.
Managing emotions is tough, if like me, you are empathic, counselling people and are bombarded with Corona Virus news wherever you look.

TURN OFF SOCIAL MEDIA.  Set strict boundaries and stick to them- Kim, Rainbow Light Therapies

How can we talk to our children about Covid-19 in the right way?

Talking to our children about Covid-19 is a personal thing.  It’s like telling the kids the truth about the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus.  It can be very individual.  My advice is to keep it simple and factual.  Kids have fantastic ‘bullshit monitors’ and will know when you are sidestepping or trying to cover up the truth.  Tell them the facts in age appropriate language that they understand and then ask them questions.  Test that they have understood what you have told them.

Do you think there should be a limit to what we are telling them? 

I cannot reiterate enough that we need to tell the truth.  Don’t tell them it is just the flu OR that it is not even as bad as the flu.  What do you think is going to happen next winter when you the parent end up with the flu and your child remembers all those people dying last year from Covid-19?  Dying from a virus that was the ‘flu’ or not even as bad as the flu?

I am passionate about working with children and families to heal, empower and inspire them to manage their stress and anxiety in a natural, holistic way – Kim, Rainbow Light Therapies

Do you have any great resources you can recommend for parents who need a hand with calming children who are feeling worried at the moment?

Here is a list of free resources that I have written and produced to help our anxious kids and teens.

Articles for Parents to Read

Top 9 Stress Busters for Kids and Teens
https://rainbowlighttherapies.com.au/top-9-stress-busters-…/

 

Obviously some children will feel worried about the pandemic, however when would you recommend that parents seek further help for their child? What signs should they be keeping an eye out for?

It’s important to keep an eye out for any changes in behaviour eg: onset of nail biting, more frequent stomach aches and/or headaches, trouble falling asleep, trouble staying asleep, angry outbursts, withdrawal from the family, loss of confidence, negative talking etc.  Just to name a few.Keep the lines of communication open, ask open-ended questions (questions that require more than a one word response). If you feel you need help then get it. The strategies I outline really do work – I have a son with autism and high anxiety and they work on him.

I am working online at this time providing counselling for kids, teens and adults as are a lot of other folk.  I am also running “Parenting Strategy” sessions online -Kim, Rainbow Light Therapies

What can parents do to better manage their emotions and therefore help stop their children’s feelings escalating?

Monkey see Monkey do!  Your kids will emulate exactly what you do.  Parents need to set a good example.  Set healthy boundaries like turning off social media.  Don’t watch the news coverage 24hours per day.  Exercise.  Eat well.  Keep to a routine.  Even just a basic routine will help as we all suffer less anxiety when we know what is going to happen next, so, set up a daily planner and stick to it (allowing for fun time, downtime and blocks of time for things to go pear shaped).

Stay home BUT stay connected.  Get the kids to show you how to do a group chat online via Skype or Zoom so that you can “see” your tribe and stay connected.  Think outside the box.  Setup games nights, birthday parties and other celebrations via online methods.  Research shows that connection lowers stress, anxiety and depression – Kim, Rainbow Light Therapies

Kim is working online at the moment. She offers a range of services including Kids and Teens Group and Individual Managing Anxiety Sessions, Kids, Teens and Adults Reiki Workshops and Intuitive Healings, Kids, Teens and Adults Spiritual Development Workshops and Individual and Family Counselling Sessions for the whole family.

You can get in touch with Kim by emailing her – kim@rainbowlighttherapies.com.au

You can check out more from Kim via her website, and by finding her on Instagram , Facebook & YouTube

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