Parents...It's not your fault

I want all of the parents of precious children who have mental health issues due to lock-down to know that it is not your fault.

Here is the reason I am raising this (sorry for the dot points but I'm busy. Ps. I'm not a clinician but I know my stuff!):

1. I have heard of so many parents of school aged children talk about new behaviors that are appearing that they have never seen in their children before. Some examples include waking up through the night with nightmares, wetting the bed (for the first time in years), pulling big chunks of hair out, random tears, lashing out (hitting, swearing), scared of vomiting, talking of having no friends, no hope and no future.
2. I think there is this ongoing issue that people do not think they can raise the problem because they think that it might look selfish, that ''everyone else is going through it'' or that ''I am better off than others.'' I hear this so much!
3. I think that there is a fear that it will get political. That if you raise it among a group of people or on a platform that someone could make a comment that might make you look as though you have an opinion on whether or not we should open up...or that you are against lock-downs...and that you don't care about the community. And who's got time or energy to defend ourselves - no-one! We are spending our time simply coping.

If your child, has a mental health issue due to lock-down I can tell you it is not your fault. I know sets of twins (sets of boys and girl/boy mix) where one is 'thriving' and one is suffering from a severe psychological issue. And they have had the same upbringing, same parents, same school, same class, even born on the same day!

The reason your child is not coping is not because you are not doing your best, or because you haven't got the best routine in place, or you are not your best self today. Its none of these things. Please don't compare yourself to any other Mum or Dad.

Covid is not your fault, its actually not anybody's fault.

Don't compare

Don't feel you have to suppress because someone else is worse off

And please, please do not blame yourself xx