As the future of the regional conflict remains uncertain amidst a fragile peace deal, families are dealing with uncertainty on many different fronts at once, leaving the nervous system frazzled. Humans are naturally wired to look for clarity, so it makes sense that not knowing what comes next is inherently difficult for us to manage. We are facing the anxiety of not knowing what may or may not happen next, lingering noise-related triggers, travel concerns in the lead-up to the holiday season and quiet doubts about our professional lives. Inside the home, there may be hesitation to communicate these worries for fear of being a burden, yet bottling them up can exacerbate anxiety.
There are several active steps families can take to reduce the risks of and the day-to-day damage caused by stress. While we cannot always control the world outside, we can change how we handle the pressure within our own homes. Dr Rita Figueiredo, clinical psychologist and managing director of Peninsula Psychology, breaks down the ways you and your family can regulate your nervous systems together.
Simplify daily decisions
To lower the mental and emotional effort required each day, try to simplify your choices and accept outcomes that are ‘good enough.’ This isn’t about lowering your standards, but about conserving your energy for the things that truly matter.
Create moments of micro-structure
Predictability brings a much-needed sense of safety. Keeping regular mealtimes and daily routines helps organise what might otherwise feel like a chaotic environment. Even tiny rituals can provide a sense of stability.
Make the stress visible
Do not be afraid to say out loud that you are feeling distressed. When stress is acknowledged openly, it stops being a private burden for each family member to carry alone and becomes an external challenge that you can face together as a team.
Protect the couple’s relationship
Make time for intentional check-ins with your partner. Simply asking, “How are you today?” reminds you both that the couple exists beyond the situation at hand. It reinforces your emotional connection and reminds you that you are on the same side.
Respond instead of reacting
While it might be impossible to avoid all tension, preventing unnecessary escalation can be transformative. It is important to recognise that everyone’s patience is thinner right now. Taking a deliberate pause when things get heated is an incredibly powerful tool for maintaining peace.
Adjust your expectations
We cannot expect to work or study with the same level of productivity we had before this situation started. It is perfectly okay to prioritise emotional stability over performance for a while. Giving ourselves and our children permission to do less can help us accomplish more of what’s really important.
Support children with clarity
Focus on simple and honest communication without giving them more information than they can handle. Reassure them through your physical presence and by keeping their world as routine as possible. They don’t need all the answers; they just need to know that you are there. Families do not need to eliminate stress entirely; it is a natural response to our current reality. Instead, the focus should be on how we express it and how we recover from it.
In times of uncertainty, what truly protects a family is not the ability to shield everyone from the outside world, but the ability to find a sense of connection within their own.
Featured image photographed by Greg Adamski for MOJEH 124 | Originally published in the May 2026 issue of MOJEH Magazine. Subscribe here
