It’s been two years and, if we’ve learned anything, it is that COVID is constantly changing the game. This can be confusing, especially for tamariki and taiohi.
We want to share a couple of ways for young people and whānau to look after their wellbeing as we continue to work our way through COVID outbreaks.
Acknowledge that things have been hard
Taiohi have shown incredible resilience during these times. It has taken so much strength to go through the final years of school online while missing out on social events like socials, sports, end of year balls, and prizegivings.
Whānau have also been strong and flexible. It’s been particularly tough to farewell loved ones that have passed on while adhering to social distancing and limits on attendance. Marae have kicked into gear, adjusting kawa to help keep everybody safe and things like virtual tangihanga have become commonplace.
Show aroha for others
Ka mutu o te rā, the tikanga of your whānau is important. We don’t all see eye-to-eye when it comes to jabs and masks, so looking after each other is a priority. Often, taiohi are in contact with lots of people and visit our older whānau. With the case numbers remaining high across the motu, consider the safety of everyone and the places you go for the next while.
Kōrero, kōrero, kōrero
Keep asking questions, talk to people you can rely on and only make decisions when you feel you are informed.
Social media is full of clickbait so be cautious when scrolling your feed.
If you have a different whakaaro to your whānau, kei te pai, it’s important to be able to discuss what your choices are. What you choose to do affects your whānau and others around you. As always, Real kaimahi are available to talk more with you.
You can find more information and resources to help you reduce the risk of COVID19 to your whānau at: uruta.maori.nz/staying-safe.