It’s no secret that right now we are being faced with something many of us have not experienced in our lifetime. And to make matters worse it’s not affecting our children and weather a not we choose to go face to face or virtual. Now I’m not going to use this time trying to convince what is right or wrong because each family will make the decision that is best for their family. But for those who are on the fence I wanted to provide a few tips that I had to go through myself.
Accept anxiety as one of your many emotions. Don’t ignore it, fight it, reject it, or be afraid of it. Don’t judge yourself for feeling it. Be kind. Give yourself permission to be human.
Follow the advice of experts. First, know what to do to avoid the spread of germs. This not only helps keep you safer, it gives you and your kids a sense of control! Follow the expert guidelines for health and safety. Wash your hands well and often. Keep surfaces clean. Stay at home when you can. If you need to go out, wear a mask and keep a safe distance from others. When you do these things, you protect yourself, your family, and your community.
Keep up with the schools updated expectations and rules and go over it with your child.
Doing this avoids it coming first from the teacher. This also shows the child that we are all a team working together to keep them safe. Also make sure that you follow the sick policy. If everyone follows this we as a team can keep down on the spread of germs.
Talk about it. Don’t be afraid to talk about what’s going on to your children. If it does not come from you they will begin to create their own story which can include untrue facts.
Make sure its age appropriate conversation. Some things may gover some kids’ heads. So you want to make sure that they understand.
Take baby steps. As a teacher I know the best way to teach a child is through demonstration. You can’t expect for a child to put on a mask on day 1 and keep it on if they never practiced before. Take a trip to Publix and show them how to properly put on a mask, avoid touching unnecessary things, then clean your hands once you get back to the car.
Parents please remember we are all in this together and what everyone is feeling is a natural feeling.
Ms. Charlotte
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