Let’s face it: gone are the days of cheering at school football games, taking a new date to the fall dance, or scoring a lead in the school musical. Unfortunately, COVID-19 is preventing our kids from having those special moments this year.
Worried parents across the country are wondering what exactly will take place when their child returns to school (or doesn’t). Many have fears that schools will need to shut down or that their families will be in danger.
Most schools have already sent out their reopening plans, but those plans differ between school districts. While some kids will go back to school, they may be limited to only a couple days a week or may be secluded to one room in groups of 10-12 students. Other students are expected to learn remotely full time.
This school year will be a journey, but it is one all parents are on together. By thinking ahead and anticipating the unexpected, you can feel more prepared of what is to come.
We’ve put together some information on preparing your child for the “new normal” of the school year, how to prepare if you are a working parent, and ways to keep a sense of normalcy for your kids.
Tips for preparing your child to return to school:
- Be sure your kids are following safety protocols
Be sure your kids are regularly following safe health practices. Even before school starts, kids should be washing their hands frequently for at least 20 seconds with soap and water, wearing masks properly, and practicing social distancing. Talk to them about the importance of following these precautions. Bonus tip: If kids at home aren’t used to mask-wearing, try finding an activity, like screen time or riding in the car, where kids can practice wearing their mask. If they wear their mask every time they participate in this activity, they will be used to it when the time comes that they are required to wear one.
- Make sure your child can be as self-sufficient as possible
Your child may be used to getting help from their teacher on things like tying their shoes, opening lunch snack packaging, or sharpening their pencils. By making sure your kid knows how to do these things on their own, they will limit the amount of close physical contact they will need with their teacher. Bonus tip: If you typically pack lunches that include small prepackaged items, switch these items to a package that can easily be opened.
- Check for signs of illness every morning
Be sure to check your kids temperature each morning and monitor for signs of illness such as cough, diarrhea, headaches, vomiting, and body aches. If they show any of these signs or have a temperature of over 100.4, they should not attend school. Contact your individual school to learn more about their protocol for signs of illness. Some may require a doctor’s note to return to school.
- Vaccinations and emergency contacts
Make sure the child is up to date on all recommended vaccines including flu shots. Check with your school’s health office to make sure your emergency contacts are up-to-date.
- New morning routines with safety in mind
Introduce morning routines packing hand sanitizer and extra masks.
Label child’s mask clearly and permanently so that it does not go missing or get swapped with a fellow classmate.
Tips for working parents:
- Emergency Plans
Emergency plans are key to ensuring your are prepared in the case that schools need to suddenly be shut down. Will your kids have to go to daycare, or can a parent be home? Team up with parents in your district to handle child care. Having a larger community available to help take on childcare responsibilities can allow more flexibility in emergency situations.
- As an extra precaution, be sure your child is up to date on all recommended vaccines including the flu shot. All emergency contacts should be up to date as well.
- Transportation
Having a larger community of neighbors and fellow parents can help with transportation too. If your child needs a ride to school, come together to have one parent a week commit to carpooling kids to and from school. - Know school expectations
Reach out to the teacher to have a clear understanding of expectations of what is and isn’t allowed in the classroom and rules that your child is expected to follow.
Keeping a sense of normalcy during this school year:
- Set routines
If your child is learning virtually this year, keeping a defined routine is the key to keeping a sense of normalcy. This can include not only a school schedule, but also weekly scheduled play dates with friends from school or outdoor time. If play dates are out of the question, find other ways for your kids to connect to their friends digitally. - Stay Engaged
This year will be hard for a lot of kids that are used to participating in a lot of extracurricular activities. Consider scheduling regular play dates with neighborhood kids keeping active with sports and outdoor activities or participating in arts and crafts projects.
- If you must stay virtual, plan a couple nights a week where your child can connect digitally with a friend, whether it’s reading a book together or playing an instrument. Look online for virtual music classes or check out our favorite ways to go out while staying in.
Regardless of the circumstances don’t forget to reach out to your community, and if available, anyone in your support groups. Remember, you’re not in this alone and if you are feeling a little bit anxious, you’re probably not the only one. Here is what a foster parent and a teacher has to say about what’s to come this school year.
