This year’s back to school to do list for parents is different than ever before. Some school districts have chosen to continue their remote distance learning for the beginning of the fall semester, some have chosen a hybrid technique and some are going back full time.
If your child is going back to in person this year in some capacity, your anxiety levels, and theirs, may be going through the roof. While prepping for this year might seem strange, it’s not impossible. Check out some of our tips to make this school year go as smoothly as possible.
Discuss the situation with your child
This should be the number one thing on your back to school to do list for parents. Most children are still reeling from the disruption of their spring semester when the outbreak of coronavirus first occurred. Some students may not want to go back because they are scared of the increase of positive cases, or because they do not like the new policies that have been put in place for their safety.
The best way to calm those fears or struggles is to have them talk it out with you. Make sure they know you understand their frustrations and nervousness, but there are a lot of people who are doing everything they can to keep schools safe. Remind them of some of the good things that will come from returning to school like a more normal schedule and structure, as well as more time to see their friends.
Go over Precautions
Schools can put all the procedures in place and it will not matter if children do not do their part to follow them. Make sure your kids have their masks ready to go and are willing to wear them the entire time that they are in school. Re-learn proper hand washing techniques with them and do a few test runs so that you can see they know what to do. Remind them that while they may want to hug their friends, it is in the best interests of everyone involved that they continue to social distance. Sometimes close contact will be unavoidable, but for a majority of the time they should be able to keep 6 feet apart.
Have a checklist ready for what to pack
Now normally, your back to school to do list for parents include a list of supplies that teachers hand out to get your children ready for the beginning of the year. In addition to getting your kids notebooks and pencils, parents should also consider packing these items:
-A lunch box so that they do not have to eat food from the cafeteria and only consume items made by their own hands or from yours.
-A reusable water bottle so that they can avoid drinking water from a water fountain that is shared with the entire school.
-Hand sanitizer, for when a trip to the bathroom to wash their hands would be too much or inconvenient, they have a sterilizing substance for touch points.
Plan for everything
While your kids may be going back to in person learning now, that may change as cases rise. Always have a back-up plan should your child need to be switched to remote learning. Another scenario to plan for would be if someone in their class gets coronavirus and your child has to quarantine for two weeks. These are uncertain times, but planning and preparing can help you to come out on top.
Civil Dispatch
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