Transition to school after Covid-19

COVID 19 came uninvited suddenly in everyone’s life, and it disturbed everything. Parents with special kids or mentally challenged were affected more profoundly than anyone else. The reason is more evident these kids need help from specialists; for some kids, routine rigidity, home isolation made them engage in more screen time. Lack of socialisation impacted their self-esteem.so now the concern is the school will start soon. Its time for parents to think if kids are ready to face this transition or begin again with the baby steps? 

I believe when we ask kids, are you ready to go to school, most of them reply in “No,” and we expect this as it has been more than four months where they have detached from the outer world and also with the norms of society and the most important away from school structure.  

This article is a summarised way to prepare your kids to face the old transition as new. Parents always have a crucial role, and they are the ones who are the fighter with regards to their kids.

Below are the few points that the parents need to understand and start implementing from today as we still have little time. 

Preparing for the transition:- Start talking to the kids about the upcoming changes, if required, Make the calendar, and placed it on the wall to visualise and aware that soon there will be changes in their routine. Talk to them to reduce their Anxiety, and besides talking to them, try some paper-based activities to know better what they are thinking from inside. Once we know the things they worry about going back to school; then, we can better deal with it.

Self-Realisation:- Kids need some motivation to go back to school, and for that, it is good to make them realise the fun and learning they had in the school. Ask them to find out the positive things happening in the school and write them on a paper one by one.

Reassurance:- It is a need of the moment. Kids have so much inside, and they feel insecure, and due to which they avoid going school, so parents need to assure them and talk to them about a past situation where they felt terrible in the school.

Remind and teach them problem-solving skills:- 

Ask kids to highlight their strengths and weaknesses, and parents need to discuss them thoroughly one by one. Practice problem-solving worksheets by taking a situation where they feel worried and resisting not going to school. Work on strategies which they know and which they can incorporate easily to solve the problem or situation. 

Start building a routine: – Ask kids to make their routine planner for the coming months; by this, they would analyse their everyday activities and prepare themselves priory. A routine is an important area to make ready the child actively and quickly.

 We need to empower them but not make them dependent on anything; COVID can limit us but cannot stop us.

Author

Ms. Prerana Saini

Occupational Therapist – M.oth (Neurology)