The Ledger is holding an online Q&A from 1-1:30 p.m. or so with Dr. Sashalee Stewart, a psychiatrist and lead clinician at the new Women’s Center at Novant Health’s SouthPark Medical Plaza. She’ll take your questions on ways parents can take care of their own mental health in the face of all we’re dealing with these days - online learning, health worries, having the kids around non-stop and missing our social outlets. Feel free to join now or read the discussion later.
Any advice on how to avoid the inevitable frustration that comes when the home Internet goes out, your kid gets booted out of his online class and you can't sign into your work-related Zoom call? Short of yelling (which I may or may not have already done), how can parents remain calm, cool and collected?
From Dr. Stewart: This is a great question. Just planning ahead of what would be helpful for you in those times. What are some of the frustrations you've run into so far, and using that to troubleshoot ahead of time so that you have a plan.
Another thought from Dr. Stewart: When you're in those moments when technology is not cooperating for anyone, just assume that everyone is going to give you grace. Bosses, teachers, we are all living this same thing.
Our time has drawn to a close – thank you to everybody for participating. And a big thank you also to Novant Health and Dr. Stewart for your time this afternoon, and for Amy George working on behalf of Novant Health. Stay safe, everybody.
Good afternoon. This is Cristina Bolling with The Charlotte Ledger. Today, we are holding a Q&A with Dr. Sashalee Stewart of Novant Health. She is a psychiatrist at the new Women’s Center at Novant Health’s SouthPark Medical Plaza.
We are grateful that Novant has made her available to answer questions related to how parents can take care of their own mental health during this time when so many of us are coaching our kids through online learning, juggling work and family responsibilities and missing our own social outlets. We will go for about 30 minutes.
If you have a question for Dr. Stewart, feel free to ask it. She went to medical school at Wayne State University and did her residency at Boston University Medical Center.
As parents, we tend to put our kids' needs first, and now we're around their needs 24-7. Any thoughts about how we can set some healthy boundaries so we're not totally tapped out at the end of the day?
From Dr. Stewart: This is also where just some of that mindfulness comes into play. Even taking some time out to be by yourself in the bathroom and just spending some time away. We really want to utilize schedules and routines so everyone knows what their particular responsibilities are for both parents and kids.
For married couples who are now spending 24/7 together, since they are working from home, how do you keep that spark alive? If absence makes the heart grow fonder, what can we do instead?
From Dr. Stewart: This is something that I've been seeing with patients. I feel like it comes down to trying to be creative and trying to step outside of the box and do things that maybe you wouldn't normally do. Maybe doing things together that might be a little outside of your comfort zone, but you'll be doing them together. Having a new but shared experience.
Our school is doing remote learning, and my child says he hates the class zoom meetings and having to watch pre-recorded videos on his iPad. It's a struggle to get him to sit at the table and do what he's supposed to for several hours each day. How hard should I push him to follow the remote learning schedule, and should I consider withdrawing him and homeschooling instead?
How should we cope with not seeing family and having our usual traditions during the upcoming holiday season? We usually get together with our extended family for the holidays, and now that most likely won't be happening due to Covid
From Dr. Stewart: Really try to find creative ways of connecting. Many people are utilizing electronic communication - Zoom meetings, etc., and setting that up as a different way of spending time together. If you have children, creating new experiences and finding new ways to do things within your smaller circle of family. Share those experiences with your extended family.
What coping tools would you recommend to help us deal with the fact that we don’t know when the pandemic will end and life will return to ‘normal’? We generally know when things will start and end, and it’s hard not to feel overwhelmed not knowing when kids will go back to school, activities will resume, etc.
This is Dr. Stewart: Connecting with your support systems, making sure that you have people within your life that are supportive and an outlet for you; engaging in activities that you find enjoyable; taking time out to just meditate or do things by yourself if you can. Self care is just going to be a really big thing throughout this period.
I have an only child and we are keeping him home for virtual learning for a few weeks (we have that option at his private school). Since Spring, we've been allowing him additional video game time because he can interact with his friends (only his friends) through the games. Are we ok being lax on the video time right now?
From Dr. Stewart: That's definitely something that's going to be on a person-to-person basis. If he finds it helpful for him and it's helpful to you, you can find time to carve out for him to do that. You can use it as a reward system or as part of his day-to-day, but it might be helpful to put it into his routine.
Have you started to see any effects, both positive and negative, in individuals that have had to make the sudden transition from office to work from? Including all aspects of their life, family, friends, work etc.
From Dr. Stewart: Definitely, yes. This is affecting people in different ways. I have found some people who find working from home to be anxiety provoking because now they're having to manage their time all on their own while having other responsibilities. Other individuals find this to actually be more welcoming because they find the flexibility of working from home to be more valuable for them. It's really affecting people in different ways.
Dr. Stewart is having a minor technical issue ... she'll be with us shortly!
Thanks for update!
These sometimes take a few minutes to get going as people join in.
Any advice on how to avoid the inevitable frustration that comes when the home Internet goes out, your kid gets booted out of his online class and you can't sign into your work-related Zoom call? Short of yelling (which I may or may not have already done), how can parents remain calm, cool and collected?
From Dr. Stewart: This is a great question. Just planning ahead of what would be helpful for you in those times. What are some of the frustrations you've run into so far, and using that to troubleshoot ahead of time so that you have a plan.
Another thought from Dr. Stewart: When you're in those moments when technology is not cooperating for anyone, just assume that everyone is going to give you grace. Bosses, teachers, we are all living this same thing.
Our time has drawn to a close – thank you to everybody for participating. And a big thank you also to Novant Health and Dr. Stewart for your time this afternoon, and for Amy George working on behalf of Novant Health. Stay safe, everybody.
stand by ... we'll be up momentarily!
Good afternoon. This is Cristina Bolling with The Charlotte Ledger. Today, we are holding a Q&A with Dr. Sashalee Stewart of Novant Health. She is a psychiatrist at the new Women’s Center at Novant Health’s SouthPark Medical Plaza.
We are grateful that Novant has made her available to answer questions related to how parents can take care of their own mental health during this time when so many of us are coaching our kids through online learning, juggling work and family responsibilities and missing our own social outlets. We will go for about 30 minutes.
If you have a question for Dr. Stewart, feel free to ask it. She went to medical school at Wayne State University and did her residency at Boston University Medical Center.
As parents, we tend to put our kids' needs first, and now we're around their needs 24-7. Any thoughts about how we can set some healthy boundaries so we're not totally tapped out at the end of the day?
From Dr. Stewart: This is also where just some of that mindfulness comes into play. Even taking some time out to be by yourself in the bathroom and just spending some time away. We really want to utilize schedules and routines so everyone knows what their particular responsibilities are for both parents and kids.
For married couples who are now spending 24/7 together, since they are working from home, how do you keep that spark alive? If absence makes the heart grow fonder, what can we do instead?
From Dr. Stewart: This is something that I've been seeing with patients. I feel like it comes down to trying to be creative and trying to step outside of the box and do things that maybe you wouldn't normally do. Maybe doing things together that might be a little outside of your comfort zone, but you'll be doing them together. Having a new but shared experience.
Our school is doing remote learning, and my child says he hates the class zoom meetings and having to watch pre-recorded videos on his iPad. It's a struggle to get him to sit at the table and do what he's supposed to for several hours each day. How hard should I push him to follow the remote learning schedule, and should I consider withdrawing him and homeschooling instead?
From Cristina: This is a great question, but today's focus is on parents and how they can manage their mental health during this time.
How should we cope with not seeing family and having our usual traditions during the upcoming holiday season? We usually get together with our extended family for the holidays, and now that most likely won't be happening due to Covid
From Dr. Stewart: Really try to find creative ways of connecting. Many people are utilizing electronic communication - Zoom meetings, etc., and setting that up as a different way of spending time together. If you have children, creating new experiences and finding new ways to do things within your smaller circle of family. Share those experiences with your extended family.
What coping tools would you recommend to help us deal with the fact that we don’t know when the pandemic will end and life will return to ‘normal’? We generally know when things will start and end, and it’s hard not to feel overwhelmed not knowing when kids will go back to school, activities will resume, etc.
This is Dr. Stewart: Connecting with your support systems, making sure that you have people within your life that are supportive and an outlet for you; engaging in activities that you find enjoyable; taking time out to just meditate or do things by yourself if you can. Self care is just going to be a really big thing throughout this period.
I have an only child and we are keeping him home for virtual learning for a few weeks (we have that option at his private school). Since Spring, we've been allowing him additional video game time because he can interact with his friends (only his friends) through the games. Are we ok being lax on the video time right now?
From Dr. Stewart: That's definitely something that's going to be on a person-to-person basis. If he finds it helpful for him and it's helpful to you, you can find time to carve out for him to do that. You can use it as a reward system or as part of his day-to-day, but it might be helpful to put it into his routine.
Definitely helpful for the parents. LOL. Thanks!
Have you started to see any effects, both positive and negative, in individuals that have had to make the sudden transition from office to work from? Including all aspects of their life, family, friends, work etc.
From Dr. Stewart: Definitely, yes. This is affecting people in different ways. I have found some people who find working from home to be anxiety provoking because now they're having to manage their time all on their own while having other responsibilities. Other individuals find this to actually be more welcoming because they find the flexibility of working from home to be more valuable for them. It's really affecting people in different ways.