None of us know quite yet what the upcoming school year will bring. Every expert seems to have a different opinion about what’s in students’ collective best interest. Even though we do not know exactly what the fall will look like, we can help our children begin to mentally prepare for whatever form the school year takes. Here are some of the comments your kids might make as they slowly begin to prepare themselves for the unknown, and how you can respond.
“I want to go back to school to see my friends.”
This is a popular argument, and a compelling one. Socialization, both unstructured and in the context of skill-building, is just as crucial for a child’s healthy development as robust academics. But even if school is in person to any extent, your kids should not expect it to look like what they remember. They certainly won’t be able to huddle in the corner of the school yard with their friends at recess. They might not even be able to sit with their friends at the lunch table, as schools are likely to have students eating in their classrooms, alone at their own desks. Playing contact sports with their friends is definitely out. Their social life as they know it will be completely different.
“I want to go back to school because that’s where I learn best.”
For students who genuinely enjoy school for the academics and in-person learning, the prospect of more remote learning is especially heart-breaking. But for those students who are spending their summer hoping to go back in the fall, this time is an excellent opportunity to do some reflecting on what exactly makes their in-person experience particularly preferable. A great place to start is to take a learning style quiz, which will tell students if they are visual, auditory, or kinesthetic learners. From there, you or their tutor can help them find resources and strategies to directly address the way they learn best. That way, even if they are required to learn from home again, they’ll have the tools they need to make the most of it.
“I am worried about going back to school because of everything I hear on the news.”
If your children have had more media exposure than you’ve intended, you’re not alone. Even the most conscientious of parents struggle to shield their children from everything. The best response to this anxiety is the reassurance that if schools are in session, teachers, administrators, and building staff will be doing everything possible to keep everyone in the building safe.
For the most part, these types of comments all boil down to one thing: kids want their lives to go back to normal. Unfortunately, no matter what happens, that just isn’t an option. But we can help our kids see that “normal” to them actually just means safe, predictable, and routine, and we can definitely help them establish those things no matter what the school year has in store.