Back-To-School 2020 Style!

Tips for Back-To-School in 2020

With the school year fast approaching, it’s time to start thinking about what a Covid-19 start to the school year will look like for our children, especially for our children with Down syndrome.

As we quickly enter the unchartered waters of the start of the Covid-19 school year, we will be faced with making many decisions regarding the safety and well-being of our children and their education. Covid-19 has shaken up how this school year will look; school districts may be offering alternative ways of learning, such as offering in-person, virtual, or hybrid (in-person and virtual) options. All of these options have their own set of pros and cons to them, but whichever option your school district or family has chosen to follow will undoubtedly be an entirely different experience than what we were all so accustomed to as being a “typical school experience.”

In attempts to make this new school experience less overwhelming, here are a few tips to help you and your family get ready for this unprecedented school year:

1. Talk, Observe, & Check-in

· Talk with your children about Covid-19 – discuss what it is and what it means for day-to-day life – discuss how things like school, the grocery store, etc. look and feel different now.

· Observe your children’s behaviors – children often have difficulty verbally expressing anxiety, fear, stress, under- or over- stimulation, etc. Be on the lookout for non-verbal indicators such as irritability, sleepiness, outbursts of anger, lower tolerances to stressors, lower impulse control, inability to focus or concentrate, increased silliness, increased fidgeting, mood swings, and atypical and regressive behaviors.

· Check in with your children daily – Covid-19 has changed your children’s lives too and they may be struggling to adapt to all of the changes.

2. Practice, Practice, Practice!

· Practice wearing masks for extended periods of time.

· Practice social distancing.

· Practice good hand washing habits.

· Practice elbow bumps and air hugs.

3. Schedules & Routines

· Work together as a family to create a daily routine that includes wake-up time, meal time, play time, homework time, chore time, family time, hygiene time, and bed time.

· Practice your schedule prior to heading back to school. Give yourself a week or two to get acclimated to your new schedule!

· If schooling at home this semester, create a school schedule that includes school work time, meal time, breaks, physical activity time, and social time. Be sure to also have a separate space away from any distractions where school work can be completed.

4. Maintain 2020 Expectations, not 2019 Expectations

· Health and safety is the most important goal for this school year.

· School supplies this year include more than crayons and pencils… aside from face masks and hand sanitizer, this year you’ll need to be equipped with: patience, flexibility, lots of deep breaths, calmness, humor, cooperation, encouragement, positivity, understanding, compassion, respects, and kindness.

· Remember, We ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER!