Preparing Children for School in Covid Times

In the past two years, Covid-19 greatly contributed to shaking our lives to the core. A lot of us are so affected by that shock that we are still unable to cope with it. It made such dramatic changes to our lives that our definition of normal has now changed. Although the no. of Covid-19 cases is no longer static and as greater as it used to be, we’re finding it difficult to adjust our lives according to the changes that keep on happening these days because of the changing pattern of Covid-19 cases. One month they are more, the other month they are less.

For a lot of us, it’s not easy to live with changes. We need a fixed lifestyle cum pattern to adhere to. Maybe that’s the reason why many of us have adopted the lifestyle that we were following during the peak of the Covid times to be our usual lifestyle. For instance, using masks even when they were declared no longer mandatory, sanitizing our hands before eating and visiting crowded places, maintaining social distancing, avoiding shaking hands with people, etc. Well, all this is perfectly fine and normal, and good to adopt. Isn’t it?! Doing that clearly has no harm. Also, as it’s said that prevention is better than cure, we must try our best to prevent being affected by Covid-19. We need to prepare ourselves to deal with the Covid times. In this article, I’m going to talk about how parents should prepare their children for school in the Covid times.

Also Read: Handling Back-to-School Anxiety After Schools Reopen

Why is it important for parents to prepare their children for school in the Covid times? 

Every parent wants to save their children from falling into the clutches of Covid-19, and that’s the main reason why parents are reluctant about sending their children to school. But as a lot of schools have opened now for in-person regular classes because of a drop in the no. of Covid cases, it’s a mandatory rule in many schools for the children to attend in-person classes by going to the school regularly. Parents are scared of sending their children to school. But feeling scared and protecting your children by stopping them from going to school in the Covid times is not a solution.

Whenever there’s a problem, there’s always a solution. The problem of sending your children to school to attend the in-person classes can be tackled to a great extent by preparing children for school in the Covid times. Yes, you can save your children from being affected by Covid-19 if you prepare them for the Covid times. Don’t worry, we’re going to share with you some tips that’d help you in preparing your children for school in Covid times. 

How to prepare children for school in Covid times? 

Following are some tips that’d help you prepare your child for school in Covid times: 

• Regular Use of Masks: Parents should instil in their children’s heads the fact that wearing masks all the time in school or while going out in Covid times is a must. 
• Sanitising the Hands: Parents must ensure that there’s always a bottle of sanitiser in their child’s bag. The children should be made well aware of the importance of sanitising their hands multiple times every day to avoid catching an infection. They should be asked to sanitise their hands before eating or drinking anything, after touching the railing, walls, and other areas that are touched by multiple people, after visiting crowded areas, etc. 
• Avoiding Shaking Hands: Parents should prepare their children for school in Covid times by asking them not to shake hands with anyone at all, and to greet others with a distant wave. 
• Maintaining Social Distancing: Maintaining social distancing is a must in the Covid times. Parents must instruct their children to stay away from crowded places and to stay at a distance from others. For instance, to stand a metre away from the other person in a queue, to not run with others in a crowd when the bell for recess or class dispersal rings. 
• Avoiding Shared Meals during Lunch Break: Although parents generally believe in making their children follow the sharing is caring belief, it’s the need of the Covid times to teach your child to avoid eating from anyone else’s lunch box or to share your own lunch box with others during the lunch break. 
• Avoiding Borrowing Stuff from Others: Making your children develop the habit of carrying their own stuff to school is very important to avoid unnecessary social contact. Children often lose their stuff, like sharpeners, erasers, etc. or forget it at their home while packing the schoolbag. The parents must check their bags regularly before sending them to school to make sure whether they’re having all that they need or not. They should strictly prohibit them from borrowing stuff, and make them aware of the possibility of being infected with Covid-19 if they touch anyone else’s stuff. 

These are some crucial tips that’d help you prepare your child for school for the Covid times. Please take them into consideration for protecting your child from Covid-19. 

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