Helping children transition back to school in the COVID-19 era

(Adapted from https://www.psychology.org.au/getmedia/6a3f524c-02c1-4e29-ac16-32a92a204599/20APS-CCN-IS-Transitioning-to-school-P1.pdf)

Transitioning back to school in the COVID-19 era can present many challenges for parents and children. Many parents have reported that learning from home has given their child the opportunity to work at their own pace. Many children have also benefitted from the 1:1 support which has helped with learning. The shorter school day and flexibility for rest breaks has also meant that fatigue has been less of an issue. In addition, anxiety has improved for some children as a result of these factors. Given this, it is no wonder that returning to school comes with a mix of relief and excitement along with a new set of stresses for children and parents.

Reassure your child that it is safe to go to school

Many parents had conversations with their children about the importance of learning from home to keep them healthy and safe. Some children may now worry about the safety of returning to school. To help your child feel safe, have a conversation with them explaining that:

The decision to return to school is based on medical advice
Children do not usually get sick from COVID-19
Everyone at school is working hard to make sure that children are safe
Anyone who is unwell will stay at home
The government is keeping an eye on things – if it starts to be unsafe, decisions about what to do will be made
Reassure your child that it is normal to have mixed emotions such as excitement, relief, worry and anger
Discuss what they are looking forward to and what they are worrying about
Reinforce good hygiene practices.

After school, it will be important to:

Talk to your child about their day, including what they enjoyed, what they felt worried about and what they are looking forward to tomorrow
Schedule extra family time as your child is likely to have missed being at home with you
Your child may feel more fatigued and will benefit from quiet activities to recharge.

Prepare your child for changes to usual school processes

It may be harder for some children to separate from parents in the morning as parents are not allowed to walk children to their classroom. Prepare your child for this by:

Discussing what might be different about the drop off and pick up procedures and how you will manage it as a family
Talk through the new procedure and role play or write social stories
Reassure your child that there will be plenty of staff to help take them to their classrooms
Ask your child if there is anything that will make this easier for them, such as arriving to school with a buddy or taking a special item that helps them feel ‘brave’.

Returning to school before siblings

Younger children returning to school earlier than other family members may feel disappointed that their siblings are continuing with home learning or may feel disconnected from the family. You can help your child by:

Reassuring them that is ok to feel disappointed
Explaining that all children will be returning to school soon
Allowing your child to pick a fun activity to complete when they get home from school so that they have something to look forward to
Avoid scheduling any ‘fun’ activities with other family members or friends whilst your child is at school.

If you need extra support or clarity in regards to your child’s needs at this time, please ring the school to let us know.

Brittany Taylor

Educational & Developmental Psychologist

Child Safety Officer

Langwarrin PS Newsletter

RESPECT RESPONSIBILITY RESILIENCE

Term 4 Week 2 · 14 Oct 2020

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RESPECT
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