The Covid-19 Life

Back to School While Still in Quarantine

Going “back to school” looks different than it ever has before. While we had some distance learning experience in the spring, no one has ever gone back to school or even started school remotely before (other than intentional online programs). In this distance learning situation, we don’t have the structure of attending classes on site physically nor do we have the schedule that supports all the onsite program and activities for which students are normally present.

What strategies can students and families use to move from (almost) no schedule in summer to our new academic distance learning schedule?

Here are a few ideas. Though they may be basic and traditional, sometimes it helps to “get back to basics”…

1. Using* a calendar, both digitally and paper (in a planner or posted on the wall).

*Using means:

1. Putting assignments, due dates, etc. in a calendar that is accessed regularly

2. Setting aside time at the beginning and at the end of each day to review the calendar, including noting what can be checked off, what might be carried over, what might be added, deleted or modified.

3. Consider putting the amount of sleep you need into your daily calendar. Adolescents need 8-10 hours of sleep per day.

2. Keeping lots of healthy food and meals available. This alone can be someone’s full-time job! But the benefits of having healthy food will support academic success and keep us all healthier. We can’t underestimate the powerful importance of staying healthy right now. Consider “batch cooking” to streamline time and energy. See the Nutrition section of my Google Site.

3. Schedule Exercise

4. Anticipate and plan fun breaks and activities that offer a variety of different types of relaxation and stimulation

5. This one is not going to be popular, but it’s so important for well-being…. Set aside time to organize, declutter and clean every day. Even if it’s just for a few minutes. Creating that extra “space” is important for reducing stress.

6. Speaking of Space... There is likely a LOT less space with more people at home for most hours of the day. Get creative about creating a "special space". That might mean using an object like a blanket or scarf to take out for relaxation, setting aside a time to listen to relaxing music, using a meditation app (you know I love doing The Daily Calm on calm.com and it's only 10 minutes!), and/or placing some items in your space that create a relaxing, cheerful ambiance.

7. Stress Reduction: Be proactive! Schedule in your choice of relaxing/neuro-regulating activity each day (yoga, meditation, etc).

What works best for you? What’s most challenging? Could you use help/feedback?

Let me know: dcitron@auhsdschools.org

Smoking/Vaping & Coronavirus (Covid-19)

https://www.massgeneral.org/children/vaping/smoking-vaping-and-covid-19

March 2020

Your Calendar Is A Powerful Tool! Our quarantine will extend through at least the beginning of May, it’s important to consider how to implement an ongoing routine that supports learning, health and wellness. So here is an updated version of my recommendations from last week!

1. Most importantly, continue to follow quarantine recommendations: STAY HOME. Do not have guests over. Only leave home for essential reasons.

2. Maintain a regular schedule. This helps maintain structure and a sense of self-efficacy. Use a calendar to create and follow a daily and weekly plan.

• Start with SLEEP. Block off sleep hours first. Your teenagers need 8-10 hours of SOLO* sleep each night for optimal growth and development, and now is our opportunity to support this!

• Include self-care, fun time, down time, and “chores” into the schedule as well.

• Schedule Nutrition (meal prep, meal time): Right now almost all of us can eat together as families and provide healthy food. Choose nutrient-dense food (see my site for great resources). Have plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables available to snack on. Choose a recipe to cook each day. This fosters collaboration, good nutrition, math skills, artistic creativity, and fun! One of my favorite sites for recipes is Forks Over Knives (I’m whole food plant-based).

• Schedule housekeeping, chores cleaning. Keep things tidy and clean. Messy environments with lots of clutter add to our stress. Ensuring we have clear physical space is important for a productive studying environment.

• Schedule exercise and physical activity. Physical Activity Alliance Resource List: this list is a compilation of free resources that make physical activity possible for people of all ages while at home. Get fresh air! If you have outdoor space and weather allows, be outside for as many hours as possible and if you can get moderate physical activity outside, even better! There are SO many physical activity apps online for inside activity too! This is a great time to establish a yoga practice, which also cultivates neuroregulation (let’s be smart and healthy!). YogaWorks is offering free online classes right now. I also love Subtle Yoga, which also has some yoga practices on youtube.

• Schedule fun recreation time. As we settle into this new mode of online distance learning and connecting, be cognizant about not overusing technology and taking the opportunity to support experiential learning through reading, arts/crafts, music/dance, cooking, gardening, cleaning/organizing, chores, physical activity that can happen within the current quarantine guidelines (online yoga, line dance, floor exercise, neighborhood walks/hikes, to name a few example).

• Schedule time for Mindfulness. Now is the time! Start with just 10 minutes a day. There are many apps (Calm, Insight Timer, etc.) people can use for free. I have a section on this google site that has many resources. I am available to assist by email, Zoom or phone.

• Service and contribution: Discuss in your families that we can shift our perspective on what might be a negative view of current restrictions, to a more positive view of our ability to make a contribution to the improved health and healing of our community. Each person’s and family’s choices and actions are profound and the significance of our commitment to stay in place to prevent disease spread should not be minimized or discounted. Provide a grounding presence in your households, and practice gratitude and healthy habits. Many opportunities will come out of this situation, and remaining open and hopefully to curiosity and change is important to build our resiliency.

A note to families with students who vape and use other substances: If students use substances and now have no access to them due to lack of supply and inability to partake while in their “quarantine at home” status, they may show some symptoms of withdrawal. This will be a challenging situation for families but can also be an incredible opportunity. Again, lots of healthy food (especially fruit, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, etc.), a LOT of hydration with water and herbal tea, some exercise especially in fresh air, and involvement in activities that support calm and happiness/humor. Movies, for example, can provide an easy and brief distracting respite from discomfort. Please be in touch with me and/or any of the support staff at school for further resources.

Please reach out and be in touch if there is anything I can do to help support your student’s/family’s needs.

February 2020

SHELTER IN PLACE Recommendations for AHS students and families:

1. Follow quarantine recommendations: Stay home as directed by city and state officials. Do not have guests over. Only leave home for essential reasons.

2. Create a schedule together and try to maintain it. Students (and most of us) have a lot more time. This is a period in which we can support optimal sleep habits and patterns. We can eat together as families and provide healthy food. We can (and are being forced to) spend more time together. This will undoubtedly be very stressful, but can also offer opportunities for increased connection. As we are are all now observing shelter-in-place, creating a schedule (modifiable as needed) will help maintain structure and a sense of self-efficacy. Include self-care, fun time, down time, and “chores” into the schedule as well.

3. Keep things tidy and clean. This will reduce stress and clutter, and support your enjoyment of your environment.

4. Be physically active! Physical Activity Alliance Resource List: this list is a compilation of free resources that make physical activity possible for people of all ages while at home.

5. Get fresh air! If you have outdoor space and weather allows, be outside for as many hours as possible and if you can get moderate physical activity outside, even better!

6. Choose a recipe to cook each day. This fosters collaboration, good nutrition, math skills, artistic creativity, and fun! One of my favorite sites for recipes is Forks Over Knives (I’m whole food plant-based).

7. Discuss in your families that we can shift our perspective on what might be a negative view of current restrictions, to a more positive view of our ability to make a contribution to the improved health and healing of our community. Each person’s and family’s choices and actions are profound and it’s significance should not be minimized or discounted. Provide a grounding presence in your households, and practice gratitude and healthy habits.

8. While this new mode of “school” will require a shift to online distance learning, be cognizant about not overusing technology and taking the opportunity to support experiential learning through reading, arts/crafts, music/dance, cooking, gardening, cleaning/organizing, chores, physical activity that can happen within the current quarantine guidelines (online yoga, line dance, floor exercise, neighborhood walks/hikes, to name a few examples.

9. Students who vape and use other substances: If students use substances and now have no access to them due to lack of supply and inability to use in their “quarantine at home” status, they may show some symptoms of withdrawal. This will be a challenging situation for families but can also be an incredible opportunity. Again, lots of healthy food (especially fruit, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, etc.), a LOT of hydration with water and herbal tea, some exercise especially in fresh air, and involvement in activities that support calm and happiness/humor. Movies, for example, can provide an easy and brief distracting respite from discomfort.

10. Again, take this time as an opportunity to attend to things you haven’t had time for or have been wanting to attend to. As an example, many people share with me that they’d like to learn mindfulness practice. There are many apps (Calm, Insight Timer, etc.) people can use for free. I have a section on this google site that has many resources.