Safety Tips for Going Back to School
After almost a whole year of most schools not being in person, more and more schools are beginning to reopen their doors and resume in-person classes. What does this mean for your kids you might wonder? As a parent, preparing for your children to go back to school can be strenuous under normal circumstances but with everything that has happened this past year, going back to school now has a new meaning with even more things to prepare for.
Schools are under more pressure to not only provide a quality education but now they have to worry about the health and safety of all the students and staff at a whole new level. Each school is going to have different ways they regulate the new safety standards depending on where you live and what district you're in. The most effective way to prepare your children for going back to school is to stay updated on any announcements regarding safety protocols at your child’s school. Your children are going to need help understanding how to navigate different situations at school that could pose risks to their health and safety.
Since kids have spent most if not all of the past year learning online, many children will struggle with getting into a new routine. Getting into a routine can be difficult for everyone in the family because everyone can have such different schedules. According to Dr Yamalis Diaz, child and adolescent psychologist at NYU Langone’s Child Study Center, “Kids do best when they know what to expect, so establishing normalcy and a routine are very important.” Using calendars to break down each day of the week and allocate specific time for school can help kids anchor themselves to the tasks for each day and will be more likely to meet the goals for that day. If a schedule is too open-ended then kids can feel anxious by not knowing what needs to be done that day.
Getting children to wear their masks and practice safe habits can be difficult but with patience, practice, and positive reinforcement children can grow accustomed to these habits. Building these safer habits will be beneficial for them and their classmates when they resume in-person class. Incorporating a symptom check each time before your child goes to school can help you keep track of your child’s health and risk exposure. It is more important now than ever to keep your child home if they are experiencing any symptoms that way we can reduce the possibility of spreading any sickness to other people.
Some other really good habits to teach your children before they return to school include:
Learning all these new habits for school can be overwhelming for your children. Thus, returning to school can be a trigger for anxiety in children and adolescents. With how much emphasis adults have been putting on the dangers of COVID, to a young child it can seem very scary. Some children might be too scared to return to school, hang out with their friends, or be outdoors without their parents to reassure them. The best thing you can do is teach your child how to cope with these fears.
Proper communication with your child is the best way to understand how they feel and make sure they are coping with all these new changes the best way they can. With patience, practice, and positive reinforcements, your child will become more and more comfortable with being back at school. Make sure to encourage your child that these new habits are not only for their own safety but for the safety of all the people around them. Going back to school does not have to be scary if everyone does their best to take care of each other.
Back to School TrainingPreparing Students for a Safe Return to School During COVID-19
Safety Tips for Returning to School During COVID-19
Five Tips for a Safe Back-to-School During COVID-19
Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash