This school year has been like no other. Adherence to social distancing guidelines has led to many children spending limited or no time at school. This reduced time spent at school has limited students’ opportunities to socialize with peers.
Academics is what comes to mind most often when one thinks of school. However, students’ social and emotional learning and health is also an important aspect of school. Since children are spending a majority of their time at home, parents must provide opportunities for socialization to maintain their social and emotional health. Get creative! Some ideas to provide quality time with other families include outdoor sports and outdoor recreation time.
There is help for parents online to learn to support their children through the loneliness and isolation caused by the pandemic. If you are interested in this topic, some resources are listed below:
Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL)
https://casel.org/covid-resources/
Confident Parents Confident Kids
https://confidentparentsconfidentkids.org/
National Association of School Psychologists
https://www.nasponline.org/resources-and-publications/resources-and-podcasts/school-climate-safety-and-crisis/health-crisis-resources/helping-children-cope-with-changes-resulting-from-covid-19
These are just a few of many resources available online. There are many options. I encourage you to seek other resources and share them with other families.
The Traveler Weekly 