How do we help our kids return to school in our Covid world?

Back to school is here!

Any relieved mums out there? (I suspect there are a few raised hands right now!)

Home school and work from home life has been TOUGH! Life has been a JUGGLE! Parents have shown they are ROCKSTARS!

As we go back to school, I wonder if kids are all feeling quite so excited. Sure they miss their friends, but kids are also a little scared by this strange thing called Covid that they don't quite understand. They have enjoyed the time at home with Mum and Dad, riding bikes and playing board games.

How do we help them to settle back into school?

As kids return to school, it is important to help them remember some of the things they love and miss about school. Maybe it is their friends, their teacher, or their favourite art class. Your child might like to connect with one of their friends again via Facetime before they return to school, to help them feel a little bit more comfortable on their first day back. They could arrange to meet their friend at the school gate so they have a buddy to go into the playground with! Our kids are worried about Covid too, so it is important to allow them "talk time" so they have the opportunity to discuss their fears with you.

You might remember that last week on the blog we talked about our "rush back to normal" and the parts of our current world that we might actually want to maintain. This applies to kids too! As they return to school, they might be sad about leaving behind some of the things they have enjoyed the past couple of months. Talk to your child about what they have enjoyed, and figure out together how they can maintain some of this. Maybe they would love a Saturday morning bike ride? Or Friday night Uno night? Maybe they want to help you cook dinner once a week? Or bake cookies for snacks on a Sunday afternoon?

Let's create our new normal.

x Tanya