Wholeness Healing Center

Keep Working Parents Mentally Healthy

Prior to COVID-19 working parents already had a lot to juggle. However, today they face completely different challenges. Not only are parents dealing with their own anxiety about COVID 19, they now have extra stress about work, daycare and/or working from home with children present.

Parents that are required to continue at their place of employment and are taking their children to daycare have concerns about becoming infected and bringing it home to their children or spouse. Parents may need back up daycare and with COVID-19 sometimes it is not possible for family to help out leaving less support and networks to help. All of this heightens the sense of not being safe and increases anxiety levels. Often it is hard to know how to calm the reactivity down after it has started. All of this can affect productivity at work which also plays into the stressful situation, Employers with open communication with the employees have helped make accommodations for employees such as being more flexible with leave and adjusting work hours.

Parents that are working from home are trying to balance home, work, and helping their children with school. It becomes difficult to work completely on job duties because of the disruptions. This may result in parents working later in the evenings. Without the regular routines, life for the family can become very chaotic. Each family member has his/her own stress and it can become difficult to deal with work and home. Finding a different normal and using new routines can help decrease some of the chaos. Sometimes just a couple telehealth meetings with a professional can help bring the balance that a working parent needs for their own self care and mental wellness.

Many employers have found the importance of communicating with their employees on a regular basis not only for work, but also regarding the extra stressors parents are dealing with during this pandemic. In the article, Why Working Parents need extra support during coronavirus, Place shares that “Continuing to help employers enhance the culture of open, honest discussions about how stressful this time is really can ease anxiety. The employer really understands that the healthier the employee is mentally, physically and emotionally, the better.” Employers are already dealing with company financial concerns and production and usually don’t have the expertise or the time to take on the role of a counselor.  Employers know that it is an important area to support and try to do what they can to ensure their employees have what they need.

If you have an EAP with Wholeness Healing be sure to let your employees know that they have access to free, confidential counseling and health and wellness services to assist them with personal, work-related or COVID-19 problems. Employees can contact Wholeness Healing at 308-382-5297 to set up a telehealth appointment.

If you would like more information about the opportunity for your business to give your employees the extra support, especially during the pandemic, please call Brenda at 308-382-5297 ext. 127.

Work Cited

Place, A. (2020, April 23). https://www.benefitnews.com/news/why-working-parents-need-extra-support-during-coronavirus. Accessed April 29, 2020,

Tags: EAP Services during COVID, Managing remote working and children, Working parents during COVID