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We know that many UT staff and faculty members have responsibilities as caregivers to children and teens. Adding to your growing to-do list, how to talk to kids about what’s going on, can feel daunting. Check out this article that shares tips about how caregivers can talk to children about the current pandemic: https://www.verywellfamily.com/talk-to-your-kids-about-coronavirus-4798953

If you are the caregiver for children, you may be facing questions of how to help support the little people in your family while staying safely at home. The Big Life Journal is offering a free packet of activities and lists for learning and movement while staying home. Available here:

https://biglifejournal.com/blogs/blog/stay-at-home-printable-pack-families

These are unprecedented times and of course it is feeling overwhelming. A therapist in the Bay Area, Lisa Olivera, LMFT, offers a soft reminder for us to consider —

“We (all of us) are currently going through a collective traumatic experience.

Trauma is often thought of as “too much, too fast”… which is exactly what’s happening.

Of course you’re exhausted.

Of course you’re afraid.

Of course you’re overwhelmed.

Of course you’re clinging to certainty in the midst of so much unknown.

Sleep is a pillar of health. Getting enough sleep keeps your immune system strong. It is also crucial for helping you mentally cope during uncertain times. That said, it is completely natural to experience more disturbed sleep during stressful periods (such as the current pandemic) - including difficulties falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking earlier than you are used to in the morning. You may also find yourself feeling more fatigued than usual.