3 Tips for COVID-19 and Returning to School

I know it’s on every parent’s mind of what the 20-21 school year will look like. It’s going to be a lot different for everyone but I’m pleased to say that our school district has decided on a hybrid model until it is safe to return to a full 5-day in person learning environment.

Many schools in my area are opening very soon and everyone is on edge. Parents are rightfully concerned about will this work and I believe we don’t know until we try. COVID-19 has changed everything we thought about 2020.

While everyone’s situation is different; I believe it’s important to remember a few key things as we adjust.

Patience is Key

Most of parents have had to become teachers overnight. It challenged everything you knew about yourself as a person. It was a challenge of how to draw the lines between parent and instructor. Some parents may come out the gate swinging and have no issues with the transition while others will struggle. No matter what end of the spectrum you may be on it’s OKAY! I promise.

Listen More

As parents we like to think that we know everything – especially when it comes to our children. And while, we may be the best resource and advocate for them we do not know everything! I have personal experience with needing to listen to what my child was saying. My daughter struggled with virtual learning in the beginning. She didn’t know how to handle the change. I spent countless hours working at my computer and that wasn’t helpful to her. She needed me to be present in her learning and find ways to make it fun.

Create a Schedule 

Find a schedule that works for you and your family. Most schools are buckling down on how virtual learning will work by assigning your child a schedule for the day. That means now you’ll have a guide on how to plan your day. Work with your employer to create available times as you work through this transition phase.

It has been extremely helpful for me to get up before the kids awake and start my day by checking and responding to emails and creating a to-do list in order of priority.

Friendly Tip: If you can take a day or two off to help with the transition do it! You won’t regret it.

If your children are returning to in-person learning remind to practice healthy hand washing habits and to always wear their mask. I purchased cute mask Etsy to help encourage my kiddos to wear their mask!

Wishing you and your kiddos a successful school year!