Healthy Psychological Immune Systems
Sometimes, despite our best efforts, unplanned obstacles are thrown our way and we must deal with them. Since I’m a person who loves to plan, this drives me crazy. I don’t mind impromptu challenges – as long as they are mapped out on the calendar and I can see them coming.
Sadly, this was not the case last weekend when Covid caught up with me. Unexpectedly, I had to rework my schedule and take a hiatus. Thankfully, the virus itself didn’t hit too hard. I had my vaccine and booster, was very consistent with my mask-wearing, and did my best to socially distance. Given all variables, my immune system seemed to have what it needed to minimize the negative effects of the virus and fight the good fight.
This week I thought about kids’ immune systems, but in the broader sense. I wondered what factors in their lives keep them safe and healthy? It’s one thing to have physical protections in place, but given the state of our world right now, I believe kids need a great deal of psychological armor, as well.
When we look at kids’ behaviors, it is obvious their emotional bank accounts appear to be running on fumes. Fortunately, it doesn’t take much to fill these voids – our presence, encouragement, consistency, positive affect, reassurance. So let’s work together to make healthy psychological deposits with our kids now so they can handle whatever the future holds with greater resiliency and less risk.