All across the country, school districts are working hard to determine the best course of action for the 2020 fall semester. Unfortunately, there appears to be no one right answer, and families live at the heart of all this uncertainty. How do parents prepare for a school year when so many details are up in the air? Here’s how to plan for the most likely possibilities:
Resuming Regular Schedules
Will your children return to the classroom this fall?
- Help your kids visualize six feet so they can maintain social distancing between classes.
- Have them pick and memorize a twenty-second song to ensure they thoroughly wash their hands.
- Teach your children how to properly wear and remove a facemask.
- Thoroughly deep-clean your home (or hire a cleaning service) to reduce your family’s chance of bringing the virus to school.
- Pay special attention to backpacks and other items related to school work and supplies.
Virtual-Learning
What are some tools that can help your child manage an online education?
- Help your kids design a dedicated study space they can use to focus during the day.
- Get your child a reliable computer they can use to access their online classes.
- Focus on digital security to keep your family safe on the web.
- Try to synchronise your schedules where possible so you can help them when they need it.
- You can also talk to your company about using a flexible schedule to manage school and work.
The Blended Schedule
How do you manage an on-again off-again school schedule?
- Talk to your child about what to expect from a blended schedule.
- Use a color-coded calendar to keep track of the days your child is and isn’t at school.
- Keep a healthier home through steps like decluttering and changing air filters regularly.
- If you must go down to part-time work to manage when kids are at home, consider picking up some contract work you can do in your downtime.
We can’t know for certain what this upcoming school year will look like. It could start one way, then change as the virus spreads or as our knowledge grows. Focus on staying flexible and open, and taking the challenges as they come. Eventually, this will all be behind us.
By Jenna Sherman
Photo Credit: Unsplash