As a country and a community, we are entering unprecedented times. Never before have we faced a national health epidemic of quite this magnitude, partnered with such a strong federal, state, and local response. It is normal for us, as adults, to feel overwhelmed with the uncertainty that comes along with not knowing what changes tomorrow brings. However, our children will take their emotional cues from us. It is precisely at times like this we need to share our calm, not enter the chaos. Over the next few days and weeks, you will be receiving home information from your child's teachers. I want to share with you some things from the school counselor’s office and some resources you might choose to share with your child.
We need to begin this process by first validating our children's feelings. Some children are excited for a prolonged weekend at home (a very, very, prolonged weekend!) and some children are sad to not be spending time with their friends and their teachers. Remember that each child is different and so each of their feelings might be different too!
Next you will need to decide how your family is going to handle this. You are the expert in your child! You will know if they need some extra time off or if they will flourish with a structured schedule each day. Don't compare yourself to social media mamas! You are only seeing their highlight reel, not their every day reality. Your reality and your child's needs will determine what your next step should be. Your child's school counselor is here as a resource for you and for your child. Do not hesitate to reach out. Staying home and staying healthy means more than just avoiding germs. It means that we need to take care of our physical and emotional health. Even if we are not physically in the same place, we are still all in this together. We are stronger together!
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