“Mummy I’m so excited I can’t wait to go back to school. I miss my friends, my teachers, I miss everyone, my son shouted”
Your child is ready to go back to school, but the truth is that school is not going be the same as he is expecting it. It is going to be completely different under the new normal.
My child is looking forward to going out and hang out with his friends, hug them, and do what every kid do. There is a lot of things they cannot do.
They will be surprise they cannot do assemblies, they cannot do sport, there would be a lot of restrictions. They will not be able to move around to do the things they used to do.
Even thou my child is excited there is a need to prepare him for what school will be in the new normal.
Have you tried talking to your child about returning to school?
Have you asked your child how they are feeling and if they have any worries about going back to school?
How can you help prepare your child for school in the new normal?
1. Talk about going back to school: Have a conversation on the key changes they will expect as they return to school. They won’t be able to play closely with their friends, they can’t hug their friends, they can’t shake and the rest. You can start by asking how they are doing with being at home (do they miss schoolmates and teachers?) and their views and feelings about going back to school.
2. Get them into going back to school: In the past month’s children go to bed late, wake up late and its going to be very hard to get them back to their usual routine during school. It is important to ensure your child gets enough sleep to prepare their mental minds back to school routines.
3. Help them bridge the gap to blended learning: Some schools are doing blended learning as well as physical schools, while some schools do not do physical school daily. A lot of children didn’t really enjoy online learning, as parents you need to bridge the gap and know what works best for your child as they resume back to school.
4. Find out your children’s worries: Talk to children, listen to them to find out what they are worried about. Talk about their concerns in terms of their anxiety and their general state of mind as they resume. It is important to ensure they are not under too much pressure, taking things one step at a time.
5. Practice and teach all safety protocols: It is important for your child to carry the safety measures they have learned at home into society. Continue to promote personal and communal safety such as hand washing, facemask etiquette and social distancing. Take the time to teach your child the five easy steps of proper handwashing: wet, lather, scrub, rinse and dry.
“Let them express their fears and concerns openly. We assume children know we as adults are there for them, but open conversations are simple and natural reminders of the security we as adults can offer in difficult times.” – Wolfe
9ijakids in collaboration with theSafetyChic has designed a safety game as part of school reopening readiness.
It’s a fun and engaging game to equip children with the knowledge of Safety requirements – handwashing, social distancing, mask use and other related areas.
Click this link to play a FREE demo of the game https://9ijakids.com/safety-checkup-game/
The full Safety Check up game will be available online from the 25th September
Pre-order today and get a FREE Safety ebook.
Don’t send your child to school without empowering them to stay safe!!!
