Back to school. How to get you and your kids ready.
As we mark one-year anniversary since our country shut down, more schools across the state are releasing their reopening plan, and it’s time to begin the road back to normalcy.
Is it only me, or doesn’t it feel strange though to describe our pre-pandemic lives as ‘normal’?
It has been a WHOLE YEAR since we drastically had to adjust our lives to pandemic living, working, living, familying and surviving under one roof.
This unique, extremely inconvenient yet in some ways convenient life has become our ‘norm’. And now, we are undoing our ‘new norm’ and prepare ourselves to return to the ‘old norm’.
Change isn’t easy.
Just like it was painful in so many ways to adjust to a quarantine life style, returning to how everything was over a year ago will most definitely be a transition.
And this is equally, if not more so, for kids. They may be thrilled to return to campus and see their friends while worry about the changes and what to expect.
Here are some key tips as you prepare yourself and your kids ready for a returning to school.
1. Get the facts
When it comes to safety protocols, each county, each school district and each school has a very specific rules and guidelines.
First and foremost, let’s review those rules and understand them.
You having clear understanding of the rules will help your littles understand them better and make returning to school less scary.
2. Give them a heads up & Check their comprehension
In my previous post, I’ve stressed the importance of giving kids heads up of what’s to come.
By clarifying what to expect prevents any challenges ahead and makes successful transition more likely.
So Go over those rules you learned, one at a time, in the language that your kids understand.
Instead of just going over the expectations, have them share what they know and what they would do, whether it’s about morning routine or social distancing on campus.
Let them lead the conversation, you’d be surprised how much they understand and have learned from the past year.
Let’s not forget to go over what to expect after the school time.
Who is picking me up? When? Who will and will not be home when I return? What happens to the online classes?
The more understanding kids have of their day, at school and at home, the more reassuring the changes will be for them.
3. Practice makes perfect
Once you and your kids go over the fact and comprehension checks, it’s time for a dress rehearsal!
Practice the morning routine. Get the materials ready. Make sure your kids know where those materials are.
Key is to get your kids to be independent with their morning routine.
You can also visit the school building before the reopening. Drive up to the gate your kids will be entering and go over the when, who and how of arriving and leaving school.
4. Keep it positive
Get your kids excited by talking about all the good and exciting events they can look forward to.
The immediate new normal might not look exactly what kids hoped for, but it is a step closer, and it should be celebrated.
You can also make the first day more exciting by selecting a new back to school mask, hand towel, or a new pencil. Mark your calendar together with your kids to count down to the reopening day. Keep it positive, Keep it exciting!
5. Check in on big and small emotions
Even if you want to make the return to school as positive and exciting of an event as can be, let’s make sure you hear your kids out and check in often.
We lived in the quarantined life for an entire year, and kids could very well be nervous about the new rules, connecting with friends again, the physical change in their classrooms, etc.
Those feelings, no matter how small, are all valid and important.
Frequently check in with your kids and give them time and space to share good, bad and mixed feelings.
I hope you found these tips helpful in getting you and your children ready for reopening of schools.
If you’re interested in learning more or want to schedule a time to talk about your specific concerns feel free to contact me for a free phone consultation.
Chisato Komatsu, PhD, BCBA-D, is a licensed psychologist and Board Certified Behavior Analyst at the doctoral level with over 18 years of experience studying and working in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). I utilize evidence-based interventions, which help individuals and parents learn how to take action in their lives to achieve ideal outcomes in a safe, confidential and empathic environment. I work in Culver City and greater Los Angeles area. I am available for telehealth sessions for families throughout CA. Contact me at chisato@littlepineconsult.com or (323) 285-2221 to schedule a free consultation.
