We’re four months into the COVID-19 crisis... how are you doing as we approach the back to school season?
When the coronavirus pandemic hit, we were all hoping that it would come and go in just a few weeks. Here closing in on the back to school season and things aren’t much better than they were back in March. We know a bit more about the virus, but cases and deaths are still rising.
As parents facing back to school in Houston, we’re up against a new challenge that may not be temporary. We’re in the unknown, which for many parents (myself included!) is the most frustrating place to be. We want to protect our kids, our families, and it’s hard to know what steps to take when the path ahead is foggy.
There isn’t a lot we can control, but there are several things that we can. Over the coming weeks (and maybe months) as we transition to not-normal school routines and schedules, let’s plan and prepare using our sphere of influence to our advantage.
5 Ways To Prepare For Back To School Season In Houston
With uncertainty swirling and anxiety high for both adults and children, here are five ways to prepare for the back to school season in Houston.
Be informed. Each school district in Houston is unrolling slightly different plans, so make sure that you are following your school district via email or social media so you don’t miss important updates.
Talk to your children about what’s happening and what to expect. Children listen in to adult conversations and understand more than you may expect. Talking with them about what questions they have and about any concerns or fears they may be feeling will be important for their mental health and development. The CDC released a list of helpful tips and resources for talking with children about the coronavirus and its effect on society and family life.
Be flexible and keep a positive attitude. Some districts have later start dates for the school year and will have more days off than the normal. For older kids, sports and milestones like graduation may not look the same. This can be frustrating for both parents and kids. It’s important for us as parents to keep a positive attitude so that our children will also have a positive outlook and hope for the future. They will see how we are responding to the situation and follow suit, so keep conversation light and talk about the positive things you are experiencing, like more family time.
Get creative with celebrating milestones. Think of creative ways that you can mark special occasions at home in a different way than you would have in the past. For example, I loved that my daughter’s ballet teacher made a video from the girls’ zoom ballet classes where she had the girls dance and then assembled a montage to a song. She also had girls share what they loved about having zoom ballet, to keep a positive spin on the situation. For my daughter’s birthday, we celebrated by decorating the downstairs with lots of balloons and decorations. I also assembled a video montage from her friends, and we did a family scavenger hunt around my moms house! They loved the special touches and it made it fun, even though not what they were probably expecting from years past.
Come up with at least 2 backup plans for your school/home scenario. There is always a chance that the pandemic will change the school’s operating schedule if things get better - or worse. You should plan for different scenarios and have a plan ready to go in case you need them. For example, asking grandparents or family friends who have flexible schedules to be backup child care if, for instance, schools go back to fully online education will make the transition less stressful if you need to go that route.
Do you best to keep yourself and the community safe. Avoiding big group gatherings and wearing a mask when you are out in public are two of the easiest ways that we can get back to a normal school year as soon as possible. Keep up to date on the latest Texas coronavirus data here and country-wide coronavirus data here.
What else are you doing to prepare for this uncertain back to school season? We’d love to hear from you! Join in the conversation in our Instagram community.
