Going to School During a Pandemic 

1. Adaptability -  With this time of Covid-19 and constant changes to government policy by state and city it is of the utmost importance to stay up to date and be adaptable to changes that could be made to your personal life and tween’s education. Keep an open mind and accept changes and educate yourself on these changes when they occur to have your family ready to take place in certain courses of action. (I.E. Online school, Required Mask Usage, Cancellation of School Trips, Mixed Media Learning, Etc.)

2. Washing of hands and sanitizing - Instill in your family and tween(s) the practice of not touching the face and cleaning the hands and upper arms thoroughly with soap and warm water often, especially before and after eating. This close monitoring of one’s environment and even keeping one’s own private space clean and sanitized (desks, doorknobs, and bookbags) can help maintain a safe place where Covid-19 is less likely to reside.  

3. Wearing a mask - Get your children and family used to the feeling of wearing a mask. It serves a double purpose- to keep other’s germs from you and your germs from them. This reduces the chance of catching and spreading Covid-19. Many schools might and most likely will require the use of masks for children over the ages of six but wearing a mask for younger children is also safer. 

4. Effective skills for learning online - With schools opting for stay-at-home and online learning programs, as well as the possibility of turning to a fully online learning method once Winter comes, it would be a great investment to practice effective skills for learning online with your tween. Such as taking small breaks, taking physical notes, limiting overall screen time, designating a study space, and more. 

5. Physical distancing - Though it can be difficult to keep a distance from friends when going to school, limiting contact and proximity helps secure a more physical safety and eliminates germs from traveling through contact. This limiting of contact can help stop the spread of Covid-19 from your tween to others or from others to your tween. Teach about expanding social space bubbles and about the 3ft to 6ft safety distance. 

6. No sharing/Limit Sharing - Don’t allow your tween to share things with friends like drinks, pencils, or jackets. Through physical contact, these items hold the potential to ferry the Covid-19 virus and other bacteria and germs from one occupant to the next. Limiting sharing will limit contact from one household to another. 

7. Proper germ/illness etiquette - Simple rules can be in place in order to slow the spread of Covid-19 and other illnesses like sneezing into the pit of the elbow or using a tissue and washing hands after sneezing into them. Staying home from school and seeking treatment and testing when ill is also a great rule to keep with. Allowing confirmed cases to be known and elect for the proper treatment of the illness or virus. 

8. Consider alternate plans - With the entire global community unaware of what Covid-19 brings and the effects it could have on the community it is important to keep an open mind and consider alternate plans for schooling and school adjacent learning systems ie. Driving to school, taking lunch to school, mixed online and physical classes. 

9. Mental and emotional energy and health - Living during a pandemic can be tiring and stressful for all ages. Be sure to talk with your tween about the pandemic and their emotions and feelings around the subject of going back to school and the new rules put into place. If anxiety and depressed thoughts are severe enough, reach out to medical professionals for the best course of action. 

10. If there is a concern for health get tested or reach out to a pediatrician - Finally, if you or your tween(s) show symptoms of Covid-19 such as Coughing, Shortness of Breath, Fever and other symptoms reach out to medical assistance and get tested so the proper care can be given.