It is Back to School! Are your children Mentally Prepped?
It is Back to School 2021! It is finally time to go back to school. Some parent’s most favorite time of the year. But It is not a popular place for children to go to. Although we all went through what it is like to be working remotely. This year for some kids might be a bit scary considering we all just went through and still are going through the covid-19 pandemic. Help your children become more comfortable this year. All while staying safe from covid-19.
Give children a safe space to share their feelings
Mirroring — reflecting a child’s experience — is one of the most important parenting skills. If your child seems troubled, pick a quiet moment, and say, “I’m noticing a different vibe lately. I feel like there’s more going on than you’re sharing.” Engaging children in creative activities, like playing and drawing, can help them express any difficult feelings in a low-key, supportive environment.
Adults should pay attention to changes in children’s normal behaviors, Wu said. A usually talkative child might become withdrawn, start skipping meals or disengage from their favorite activities. Some kids might become clingier than usual.
Recognize anxiety is completely normal
Point out that everyone has a rough patch now and then. It’s understandable, particularly during a pandemic. Anxiety is invisible; worry is a symptom. Learning to tolerate uncertainty is a developmental skill. Remind your kids that when they have a problem you are there to help them work toward a solution.
Encourage kids to be pace themselves
Students who are eager to be back in the classroom and see all their friends may find their new in-person school day more exhausting than they anticipated. Help them build in study breaks and downtime.
Get back into a routine
Routines carefully reinforced for years went out the window for many families this last year. Waking up early became less necessary when there was no bus to catch. Without school to structure breakfast, lunch, and an afternoon snack, kids may have started eating at odd hours.
Parents whose homes became simultaneously an office, day-care center, and school simply may not have had the energy left to cook dinner or enforce a bedtime. But restful sleep and regular meals are essential for kids’ cognitive and emotional function.
Address COVID-19 fears honestly
With pediatric COVID-19 cases on the rise and reports indicating more young people are struggling with long COVID-19, many kids are bound to have questions and concerns about going back to school during the pandemic.
Find out what’s bothering them and give direct, age-appropriate answers to their questions. If you don’t know the answer, look it up together using trusted sources like the UNICEF and World Health Organization websites.
Park Ave Magazine
Find out about Orlando Advertising opportunities with Park Ave Magazine. We would like to thank everyone who put time and effort to bring Park Ave Magazine to life. Be sure to check out our latest issue. The magazine is full of exciting articles, art, photography, and trivia about the city of Winter Park.
With plenty more monthly releases to come, sign up for our newsletter and stay in the loop with our team. Monthly events and parties to meet all of your wonderful people make Winter Park an incredible place to work, play, and live. Reach over 600,000 individuals through our Orlando Advertising services. Park Ave Magazine has gone virtual so be sure to back soon and often!
