Parenting in times of Covid has been difficult for all families. It’s been a never-ending time of adjustments and changes, especially when there are children of different age groups in one home. Last week, we chatted with Lina Acosta Sandaal, psychotherapist, parenting expert and founder of @StopParentingAlone, about parenting as we head into a new and different type of school year this fall.
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Lina reminded us that for children from 4th grade to HS, digital learning shouldn’t be that complicated for many kids, as they use screens so frequently and just finished the last school year in a similar fashion.⠀
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For Kinder-3rd grade, the adjustment is harder and there are things to consider like distractions and attention span. Be mindful that children may need your assistance in the first week. The key is to be around in case they need you but also let them do most of the work individually with quick prompts from you. She also reminded us that both parents and teachers need to give themselves permission to make mistakes as it serves a lesson for our children. She advises, the way we deal with our faux pas, our reactions, our responses, will teach our kids to be more tolerant, to be compassionate and empathetic.⠀
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I invite you to watch our IGTV!⠀
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Tips to help kids adjust to the new school year at home:⠀
– Kinder – 3rd grade: Follow a routine, take breaks, make sure kids can see you, do not correct them or make a comment on their work, establish a space for them to work (for this age group, the floor is ok), and give them time to adjust!⠀
– 4th grade to teens: Establish their work-space (not the sofa), establish a routine, be consistent, open communication but trust them.⠀
– Any age: Allow children to express their emotions and thoughts – children 0-5 need to be taught and given emotional language. It’s important for parents to label the feelings the child expresses until the child can label their feelings themselves. Children 5-10 express themselves by talking to them about the day to day. They can relate to the world around them. Children 10 and up are questioning who they are in relationship to what is happening, and communication tends to be more direct.
