More than 6 months ago, the World Health Organization classified the outbreak of the Corona virus as a "pandemic", and since then our lives have changed completely, with more than half of the world's population experiencing some kind of lockdown, and about a million people have died, and countries around the world have suffered from An unprecedented economic collapse.
Many people around the world have lost their jobs, and now the World Health Organization data warns of a new wave of Covid-19 this fall, which may require similar measures to previous ones, which may mean more job losses.
Job loss affects the entire family, but children often fall out of the equation despite being directly affected by such a big change.
How is the child affected?
Children often feel that there is a crisis or a change that has occurred in the family, and they are more upset when they discover that their parents have hidden something important from them, and with the concealment of information, children's thinking turns to the worst case scenarios, and they expect severe damage that may extend to them.
Amy Morin, psychotherapist and lecturer at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts advises;
The need to talk to children when they are dismissed from work.
In an article on VeryWell Family, Amy asserts that it is better for children to be aware to avoid the ill effects of the matter, and among those effects, as Amy explains:
1- Transmission of parental tension to children
When parents feel stressed about losing income or having difficulty finding work, children will feel stressed too.
2- The low standard of living
Low income affects children's daily lives, and the family's standard of living may decrease, which may prevent the child from enjoying the same activities and privileges as before.
3- Drastic changes
Job loss sometimes leads to fundamental changes, and the family may be forced to move to a new city, or stop sending children to usual activities, and then children's daily lives are affected in negative ways.
4- Fear of the future
Older children who understand little about money and bills may worry that their family will suffer poverty, or become homeless.
5- Bullying
Children may become targets of bullying and harassment from their peers due to their low living standards.
It is imperative that you explain to your children that there is always a chance and things will soon get better (Pixels)
To be frank about professional crises
Many parents prefer to avoid having conversations with their children about it, and when they tell their children they don't know what to say or how to start, and how far to go.
Here are some tips for parents when talking about job loss and its consequences for the family:
1- Each according to his age
The child's age plays a big role in how you deal with the issue of job loss, and for preschool children, make it simple by saying that your father will often be at home because his job no longer requires him to go daily.
The slightly older child can deal with some extra details, such as explaining that the company has closed or moved elsewhere.
While teens expect the greatest amount of detail, their thoughts are likely to turn into money immediately, so do your best to reassure them that the family will be fine, and that you have a plan to move past the coming days and weeks.
2- Caution is required
You should be aware of signs of anxiety in your children, Kate Roberts, consultant psychologist at the school and former professor of psychiatry at Brown University, advises;
Parents try to discover the effects on children and avoid underestimating changes in their behavior.
Certain children will worry, and parents should follow up with counseling to determine how to address this anxiety.
Kate recommends sticking to the daily routine as it is.
Such as mealtime, naps, and a steady day's regimen to show normality and instill peace of mind.
3- Keep the message balanced
In an article on Psychology Today, Kate advises parents to balance the amount of information they share with children, with utter clarity.
She says that the child may show his fear by asking, "What if I don't work in September, can I still play sports?"
She suggests the appropriate response, "I don't see this as a problem, but if it becomes a problem, I will do my best to solve it," as parents need to demonstrate that they have a plan that can work.
Meanwhile, Kate stresses the need to allow children to choose what to give up, for the greater good of the family and to make them aware of the need to share responsibility.
You can reframe the job loss and confirm that there will be more opportunities to spend quality time together (pixels)
4- Don't make it bad
You can reformulate the job loss, and confirm that there will be more opportunities to spend quality time together, such as watching movies, playing games and sports, or reading books together.
And telling children that it may be a temporary and appropriate opportunity to rest and enjoy, after exhaustion and continuous work during the last period.
5- Allow your children to grieve
Children realize that losing a job means losing money and disrupting entertainment plans for them.
Wendy Muggle, a Los Angeles-based psychiatrist and author of books on parenting, notes;
To expecting tears, confusion, anger and indifference sometimes, and she explains that "despite the difficulty of the matter, try to respect the disappointment of your children without taking a defensive stance, and consider it a good sign, this means that they heard you and trust that you are strong enough to absorb their feelings."
6- Spreading hope
Stop grieving, depression and blaming others, because this affects your children in a negative way. Instead, be forward-looking and find new job opportunities.
In an article on Nytimes, Wendy stresses that it is necessary to explain to your children that there is always an opportunity, and as the economy improves, your situation may change, you may find a new job with a suitable schedule and things will return to normal.