Coping with Re-Opening Schools During a Pandemic

There’s no easy answer to the question of how and when to re-open schools during a pandemic. Most public health experts suggest schools should only open if the rate of new coronavirus cases is on the decline and contact testing and tracing is readily available. But regardless of where your local school district or state ends up on the matter, you as a parent will have to deal with that decision. How do you cope with re-opening schools during a pandemic? Here are some tips to keeping your sanity during these especially difficult times. Stay Reasonably Informed A person’s anxiety can often be increased by not having enough information. In this day and age of social media, however, the opposite is also true. Too much information — or all too often, misinformation — can be just as bad as too little. Keep up-to-date with your local school board’s decision-making process. Follow their deliberations and public meetings, and attend them (physically or virtually) whenever possible. Ask questions about the science guiding their decisions. Forgo the insular and politicized Facebook and Nextdoor groups (or keep your interactions and checking on them to a minimum). Figure Out What Works Best for Your Child’s Specific Emotional, Social & Academic Needs Each child and teenager is different. What works for your kids may not work for your neighbor’s. Even within the same family, different children may have very different needs for their continued...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Children and Teens General Mental Health and Wellness Parenting Psychology Students coronavirus covid19 pandemic schools reopening Source Type: blogs