Tips to help children (and parents) successfully navigate the return to school
Children across Victoria (and more broadly, around the world), have adapted extremely well to learning from home for a big portion of this year. Each child’s resilience has allowed them to overcome challenges to get the most of out their learning and education. What superstars!
Now with restrictions easing, and students returning to school, they are again challenged to adapt. Here are some tips that will help children (and parents) successfully navigate the return to school:
1. Validating your child’s thoughts and feelings:
Everyone experiences a variety of thoughts and feelings about their world around them. This is no exception to children, who may have difficulty in processing their thoughts and emotions when overwhelmed with new changes. Helping children to label the experience of their thoughts and emotions can be an effective strategy in getting them to feel heard. For example, if children voice that they are experiencing different emotions about their return to school, parents can use statements such as: “you are feeling ambivalent about what is happening, which means that you are facing different emotions about the same thing at the same time”. This can be coupled with statements such as “this is what many children are feeling too!”. Such phrases may also help to validate or normalize your child’s experiences, which may in turn, ease any symptoms of anxiety.
2. Remaining connected in meaningful ways:
While being in quarantine for most of the year has been extremely taxing on one’s mental health, the upside to that has been the opportunity to slow down, simplify our jammed packed schedules and make meaningful connections. These meaningful connections can look different from household to household. Continuing some form of connectedness as children return to the classroom can be a great tool in maintaining a sense of stability or grounding- during a very uncertain period. This can be achieved through scheduling intentional blocks of time to connect with your child. Some examples include having a meal together, going for walks together or playing a game that they enjoy. It could also be great fun to involve other family members or friends!
3. Have multiple back up plans:
As children get ready to tackle the last term of the school year, we can help them predict what will happen using vision boards and planners. This will give children something to look forward to and fosters a positive mindset. Further, they will be encouraged to look at what lies ahead instead of reminiscing what they have missed out on. It is important however, to maintain flexibility to accommodate to any changes that may arise. Book in some activities now that we have a new 25km radius to explore.
4. Routine, routine, routine:
There are copious amounts of research highlighting the benefits of looking after the basics of health (sleep, nutrition and exercise) and sticking to a routine. The benefits of a good sleep cycle extend beyond improved learning and concentration. As many children have been in isolation for a large part of the year, their bedtime routines may have been altered. It usually takes about a week for the body to get readjusted to a routine, so the recommendation is the faster, the better!
5. Reach out for help:
Covid-19 has brought about many challenges, one of which is coping with the physical distancing from friends and family. What life will look like over the next few months has changed and children might feel anxious about what this means. We all know diet and exercise keeps us physically healthy, and sometimes our mental health needs some skill building as well. Many mental health professionals are offering telehealth services, which means that children can gain access to helpful tools and resources to overcome their troubles/worries from the comfort of their own home. We are very excited to be returning to face to face very soon.
Remember that you are never alone! Wishing all students a wonderful return to school.