Schools around the nation and around the world are closing to help prevent the spread of the Coronavirus. While your kids may have initially been excited at the prospect of missing school, the reality of not seeing their friends and the impact of losing their daily routine will soon begin to weigh on them. Fortunately, the organization Save the Children has some sound advice to for helping kids cope with school closures.
They suggest the following six steps (along with my own comments on each):
1. Set the Stage. Let your children know what is going on. Make sure to use age appropriate language, but know that your silence on the current circumstances does not help. In the end, if you don’t give them information, they will fill in the blanks with their own ideas…which are likely even worse than reality.
2. Stay on Schedule. Daily rhythms and routines help to reduce stress. It doesn’t have to look exactly like it did pre-covid-19, but set up some sort of schedule for bedtimes, wakeup time and your day and stick to it. But, show yourself (and them) grace because, as we all know, schedules aren’t always met.