An exceptional situation burdens parents

During these exceptional circumstances we are spending a lot of time at home with the whole family. The grown-ups are trying to concentrate on their work and the children on their schoolwork. Not everyone can work from home. Many parents have to work in stressful circumstances and leave their school-age children at home for remote schooling. The situation awakens many different kinds of feelings in adults, children and adolescents, e.g. worry, irritation, annoyance, fear, frustration, anger and disappointment.

The following examples describe some of the problems that are common in families. Consider how the skills presented on the website help the family. By clicking the links you will get more information and tasks.

Example 1

Ansu is trying to focus on her work and Mille is taking a conference call in another room. Repeated sounds of a bouncing ball are coming from Viima’s room. The sound annoys Ansu. Viima runs out of his room and interrupts Ansu’s work yet again to ask for permission to go to a friend’s house to play.

Situation 1

Ansu loses her temper and shouts at Viima: “Don’t you get that you have to stay at home? If you interrupt my work one more time, I’m taking your phone off you. Why don’t you just get it? I can’t cope with this.” Mille interrupts his meeting to come and ask what is going on as he’s heard Ansu and Viima’s argument through the door. “You’re always shouting at the children,” Mille snaps at Ansu.

Situation 2

Ansu takes a deep breath. Ansu stops working, turns off her laptop and turns to Viima. Ansu looks at Viima and says: You have been doing really well with staying at home, Viima. Your schoolwork has been going well, too. I heard how you were bouncing your ball in your room for a while. I guess you’re getting bored. Ansu shows that she heard Viima’s request by repeating it. “You would like to go to a friend’s house to play.” I’m sure you remember that we can’t go to anyone’s house right now. And I think you still have some schoolwork to do. When you’ve finished that, then you can go outside and play with your ball.

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