Edwina Bartholomew has given sage advice on how parents can help their kids cope with the “doom and gloom” of the the 24-hour news cycle amid COVID lockdowns.
WATCH Edwina Bartholomew announces her second pregnancy on Sunrise
The Sunrise newsreader, who last week announced she is expecting her second child with her husband Neil Varcoe, said she’s been feeling “emotional” lately due to the constant daunting COVID news in the headlines.
The 38-year-old said her pregnancy hormones have made it feel like she’s “living inside a tumble dryer”.
“Secondly, there’s just a lot going on [in the world]. Too much most days,” she wrote.
“This pandemic has affected everyone in one way or another and we are all just trying to get by financially and emotionally.
“I read the news on TV everyday for a living… although I get told off for saying so, even I want to turn it off.”
The popular TV journalist said the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and the dire climate change situation have further added to her stress as a reporter and a mother.
“It used to be a simple as simply switching off the TV. Kids nowadays don’t have that luxury. They are seeing those global events unfold in real time and it’s no longer an option to tune out entirely,” she said.
Edwina chatted with founder of The Resilience Project Hugh van Cuylenburg, who said adults need to be “wary of the doom and gloom” they are being exposed to everyday.
Hugh, a father-of-two, suggested to always have music playing in the house.
“It provides a good distraction from the news and the dreaded daily [COVID] press conferences,” he said.
Edwina said to lift morale in her household during lockdown, she has tried to find something to laugh about each day.
“A funny video, an old movie, cats on YouTube. Whatever you can find. And watch it with your kids,” she said.
“This obviously won’t solve the world’s problems but maybe it will make things a little more manageable at your house.”
Hugh also suggested parents to ask their kids what they’re looking forward to tomorrow before they go to bed.
“If they can’t think of anything, schedule something outside of usual home-schooling routine,” he said, adding that the same goes for mums and dads.
For Edwina, her and Neil’s second baby – due in February – is the light at the end of the tunnel.
“Focus on the good news, for us it’s a new baby. It sometimes feels like an uncertain time to be bringing a child into the world but, as they say, this too shall pass,” she said.
The popular TV presenter welcomed her first child Molly with her husband Neil back in December 2019.
Edwina has previously spoken to TV Week about how motherhood had given her a whole new outlook on life.
“The amount of energy I’ve wasted sweating the small stuff – for years,” she said. “Now, I just think, ‘Oh, I wish I’d made better use of that time.’
“I think it’s so rare for women to say, ‘Hey, I’m good at this,'” she continued, referring to the pressure women face as new mothers.
“But you know what? I’m a really good mum, and Molly’s a really good baby. And we have a really happy family. That’s such a huge achievement. I don’t think ‘old me’ would have recognised that it’s a big deal and a great thing to be able to accomplish.”
