Amy & Aron's

Millions of children are returning to school, and parents are anxiously awaiting feedback at the school gates. There is no doubt that the beginning of the school year is very different from previous years. The pandemic has changed the way we live, and many of us are adjusting to a ‘new normal.’ If you’re preparing to take your kids back to school, or you’re gearing up for another semester of homeschooling, here are some tips to help your children adjust and adapt.





Communication

Communication is key at a time when the future looks uncertain and the headlines are telling us something different every day. As parents, it’s hugely beneficial to talk to your children and to try and be as open and honest as possible. Some children will be too young to process what is going on and what has happened over the last few months, but many will have questions, concerns and worries. You don’t need to go into the specifics or share gory details or technical terms, but it’s helpful to try and respond to questions and to encourage your kids to come to you if they do want to talk. Going back to school is likely to be an exciting prospect for some, but for others, it will be an anxious time. You can help to provide support and reassurance by chatting with your children about what is going to happen when they’re at school and how it might be different to previous years. For more tips, check out this useful guide https://www.unicef.org/coronavirus/supporting-your-childs-mental-health-during-covid-19-school-return.


Resources and educational support

Whether you’re homeschooling your children, or they’re looking forward to taking classes at school with new teachers and friends, it’s helpful for parents to be able to access support and to utilize resources to facilitate learning at home. There is a veritable treasure trove of learning materials available online, and teachers and educators can make recommendations and share ideas to help parents access the best resources. The way children learn has changed and evolved over the years, and many will now be getting used to different approaches as a result of further advances in technology and measures introduced by schools to keep students safe during the pandemic. Face-to-face learning may have been replaced or supplemented by online classes, for example. You can help your kids to adapt by working with them at home to get used to different techniques and by liaising with teachers and mentors to make use of the tools that are available. Through the web, teachers can access everything from worksheets like those on offer at https://studentreasures.com/teachers-lounge/lesson-plans/third-grade/ to practice tests, interactive activities and fun games and puzzles. Spend time with your children when they get back from school and try to get involved in their studies so that you can adjust to new ways of learning with them.

Socialization

Socializing is essential for children’s wellbeing. At the moment, it’s not possible to go to large gatherings or to see lots of friends and family members at the same time, but there are ways of socializing safely. You can interact and catch up with relatives and friends online, you can organize small gatherings in the garden or meet up with a group of friends at the park. Explain the situation, be prepared to answer questions and try to make every experience fun.





Going back to school can be a daunting experience for children and adults at the best of times, but this year is like no other. Hopefully, this guide will help you work with your children to adjust to and embrace a ‘new normal.’