Limiting COVID chaos in the course of the college yr – . Well being Weblog
Child: “Will I be going back to school this fall?
Parent: "I'm not sure yet."
Child: "Do you know when we're going to find out?"
Parent: "I don't know yet either."
Child: "Will the school be the same all year round?"
Parent: "I don't know either."
Sound familiar? If you just know that plans are in motion, you are not alone. School schedules seem to change frequently – before the school year has even started in some places! With so much uncertainty, how can families limit the potential chaos that can result from last-minute decisions and changes? Below are four tips that you may find helpful.
Develop a plan for each school facility
Schools seem to be deciding if all students are returning, all students are going to school remotely, and whether a hybrid plan consists of both. While you cannot prepare for everything in the future, you can contain some of the chaos by creating a plan for your family based on each of the three school scenarios. With the possibility that schools will change their decisions over the course of the school year, it may be helpful to develop all three now if any of them are needed.
For example, if you are planning a hybrid school year, have all of the caregivers in the house create a childcare schedule for the days the children would be home. For the days of distance learning, creating a structured daily routine can be helpful when distance learning does not fill the entire school day.
It's also important to talk to children about how school schedules can change over the course of the school year and what to expect from each plan. It can be helpful for children to understand why plan changes can occur. Therefore, explain that the goal of the changes is to ensure that schools can continue to help children study while they stay as healthy as possible.
Regardless of the school schedule on a particular day, try to keep the children's schedules as consistent as possible. Keeping the same waking, eating, and bedtime practices every day can make children less prone to the stress of other changes that may occur to them.
Also plan for health and safety
If your children are having face-to-face lessons, talk about healthy and safe hygiene practices in school: wear masks, wash your hands frequently, and make sure to keep yourself a safe distance from others. Also, share what you want your children to do when they return home. Where should you put your backpacks? When and where should they wash their hands when they get home? Decide how your children will get to school and how they will return home if you find this year has to be different. For example, if your son has previously carpooled with other families or attended school with other children, this plan may need to be changed to keep your son three feet away from his peers.
Check with your school to see if they have any tests. If so, how and when does the school want a child to be tested? Also, ask what steps the school will take if a teacher or student tests positive for COVID-19.
Make a family calendar
With so many plans in motion, a visual reminder of what the coming week will be like can help kids keep track of the changes. Put a weekly family calendar in a common area like the kitchen. Check out the coming week when you are together e.g. B. Sunday at dinner time. It may also be useful to check the next day's schedule each evening over dinner to remind the children of what is ahead. For younger children who are not of the reading age, try using pictures such as B. Pictures of a school or house to show where the child might be that day.
Create a space to share reactions
You might feel upset one day, sad the next, worried another, and hopeful the next. Your children may also have a range of emotions as they navigate these difficult and ever-evolving times with you. Talk to your children regularly about how they feel about the plans, changes, and more to give them space, share their experiences, and get support. Perhaps the weekly calendar check time could also be when you check in and see how everyone is feeling about the school schedules. Neither of you chose to do this, and you are making the most of the situation by offering support and some predictability.
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