Support

• Talk about the coronavirus with your children. Most children have heard about the virus. Not talking about something can actually make kids worry more. Look at the conversation as an opportunity to convey the facts and set the emotional tone. Your goal is to help your children feel informed and get fact-based information that is likely more reassuring than whatever they have heard from their friends or on social media or other new outlets.

• Be developmentally appropriate. Speak to your children in simple, brief language, as this information may be overwhelming. Allow children time to ask questions and try to answer your child’s questions. Do your best to answer honestly and clearly. It is okay if you cannot answer everything; being available to your child is what matters. It is important to be honest to children and tell them if you are not sure about something and you need more time to educate yourself before answering that question. For younger children, explaining that there is a virus like the flu that is “going around” and the best way to stay healthy and keep from spreading germs is to stay home from school, just like you do when you have a cold or a fever.

• Take your cues from your child. Encourage your child to tell you anything they may have heard about the coronavirus, and how they feel. Give them ample opportunity to ask questions. You want to be prepared to answer (but not prompt) questions. Your goal is to listen to your children’s feelings, validate them and take a mindful moment to assess how to respond.

• Notice your own anxiety. Be aware that children respond and take cues from the adults around them. Take pause and model calm behavior. Responses to children are always best when the adults are at ease. Be mindful of the fact that our children are often experts at reading our own emotions and try to assess our own demeanor and the way in which we communicate about something. If you notice that you are feeling anxious, take some time to regain composure before trying to have a conversation or answer your child’s questions.

• Focus on what you’re doing to stay safe. The CDC recommends thoroughly washing your hands as the primary means of staying healthy. Remind kids that they are taking care of themselves by washing their hands with soap and water for 20 seconds when they come in from outside, before they eat, and after blowing their nose, coughing, sneezing or using the bathroom. If kids ask about face masks, explain that the experts at the CDC say they aren’t necessary for most people. It is important to ground children in knowing that our school is closed at this time to keep everyone safe and to prevent people from spreading the germs to others.

• Stick to routine. For as long as school remains closed , it is important to stick to basic routines. Children do best with routine, predictability and structure, is going to be helpful right now. Structured days with regular mealtimes and bedtimes are an essential part of keeping kids calm. It may be helpful to create a schedule factoring in online school learning times, breaks, lunch time, etc. Tell kids that you will continue to keep them updated as you learn more. Even if you do not have all the answers to their questions right now; reassure your kids that as soon as you know more you will let them know, too.

• Stay home. Avoid direct contact with delivery people, the mail person and anyone who comes to your door.

• Distancing. If you must go out - stay at least six feet from other individuals. Protective gear such as masks and gloves may be helpful protection against droplets from coughs, sneezes and conversation.

• Don’t touch your face.

• Always sneeze and cough into a tissue or your elbow. Discard tissues in a bin.

• Wash your hands frequently or use hand sanitizer if no sink is available. Always wash hands after touching surfaces outside or indoors such as grocery bags and food delivery containers. Research has shown that the coronavirus can live on surfaces up to three days.

• Disinfection- clean surfaces in the home which are frequently touched. Lysol or Clorox wipes or any antibacterial spray will work well. So does soap and water or diluted bleach. These surfaces include doorknobs, faucets, computers and devices (wipes preferred) toilets, counters, chairs and tables.

• Do not congregate. That refers to playdates, sharing meals, visiting grandparents, going to meetings and gathering together at the park. That prevents the spread of the virus.

• Do not travel. Other states like Florida have asked people to avoid their state. They want to avoid further transmission of the virus. Medical resources are stretched everywhere.

If you or a family member or friend is not feeling well-

• Don’t panic. Over 80% of cases are mild and treatable at home.

• Signs and symptoms of the virus are fever, cough and trouble breathing. Usually you will experience body aches and exhaustion. Diarrhea can also be a symptom.

• Call your health care provider for guidance.

• Go to an emergency room if you are experiencing shortness of breath, difficulty breathing or coughing up blood. These are signs of serious illness that require immediate attention by the medical staff.

We should all hear B’sorot Tovot soon!

Get some FRESH AIR.

• At least twice a day or as much as you can -even while in quarantine. Even just sitting next to an open window and breathing deeply with eyes closed can be a virtual break from sitting around inside.

Get some SUN.

• Again, as much as you can- especially if you are in quarantine. Exposure to direct sunlight helps your body make Vitamin D.

• Find a sunny spot in your house/apartment/yard and soak up some rays for 15-30 minutes (unless, of course, it's cloudy).

Express yourself through ART, LEGO, BUILDING, SENSORY ACTIVITIES.

• Use whatever you have on hand - pen, pencil, crayon, chalk, paint, cardboard, newspaper, magazines, etc.

• https://colorations.com/browse-activities

• If you've been receiving packages and deliveries, use the boxes to build something cool (hopefully you also have some duct tape handy). Use Legos or blocks if you have them. Or make pasta sculptures of people in your life (if you have some dry pasta to spare).

WRITE something.

• Encourage your children to put thoughts down in words. Inventive spelling is wonderful for the younger children. Start keeping a diary or journal. Transform your thoughts and feelings into a poem. Write a letter to someone you love - an actual letter, on paper, that you put in an envelope with a stamp - grandparents especially love to receive those.

DANCE.

• Put on some music and get your groove on. This one is a win-win: you get some exercise (which boosts your mood and your metabolism) and you get to listen to your jam (which also gives you a boost). You can join with friends by zoom or you can "dance like nobody is watching."

MOVE your body.

• Get some physical activity. Use an exercise app. Stretch and exercise along with a YouTube video. Try the 7-minute workout. Run the stairs for 5-10 minutes. Just get the body in motion. Coach D. has been posting awesome exercise activities. There is an excellent app: Super Why Yoga (for younger) and Down Dog (free until April 1st) in the app store.

LAUGH a lot and often.

• Laugh and play as much as you can… laughter is the best medicine. Game nights, movie nights, joke books, and looking through family photos and videos can lighten things up and take off some of the pressure.

DISCONNECT from your devices.

• • This one is tricky when we have to be on our devices for much of the day to attend Zoom classes, Seesaw, stay connected with friends, etc. Try to carve out some time for unplugging for our children. During un-screened time, encourage your children to read a real book, draw, play cards or board games, dress up, imaginary play, do a puzzle (try a 500 piece puzzle- Currently we are taking on a 1,000 piece puzzle in the Fox home).

Go on an "INFORMATION DIET."

• • We are encouraging parents and students to take breaks from the media…. and stick to reliable, less emotional sources for your news. Turning off the computer and TV and disconnecting can give you and your children some distance and help you put things into perspective and frame the conversation for your children. Remember that news outlets are fighting for your attention, and many will do that in ways that play on your emotions and take time away from your children.

Be a good LISTENER.

• • Be a good, supportive listener to your children. People deal with stress in many different ways, and having someone to listen to and talk through their fears with is extremely helpful. Being that listener is part of being a good partner, parent, and friend. Being extra kind and gentle with each other is especially warranted at times like these.

TALK to someone.

• • It is 100% normal, natural and predictable for people to feel really uncomfortable in this situation. It is very hard to live our lives with a heightened level of worry and uncertainty with which we are currently living. Can talking to someone about your angst and worries change the things that are making you feel that way? Probably not. Can talking to someone change the way you feel about those things? Probably. Believe it or not, talking about your feelings, saying them out loud to another person who listens to you and validates how you feel, actually makes those feelings easier to bear.

Managing Screen Time

As the weather warms, this will mean making sure our students have a balance of on-screen and off-screen time; that we encourage them to be outside, to take time to relax and lessen the stress they may be experiencing.

Additionally, please be mindful of your screen time. Please remember that what you are watching on screens might be triggering for you and elicit emotional responses.

Each of us - educators and parents - needs to keep in mind that there is nothing normal about our current reality. As a result, our proactive planning and responses to changing conditions must reflect this reality. We are fully aware that we cannot replicate the high-touch, at-school experience with a virtual experience. We need to continue to create a new experience that maximizes this new set of circumstances.

Setting Routines

When we return tomorrow to our at-home routines, including virtual school, it is important to incorporate routines and schedules. Mental health experts suggest that routines, schedules, and expectations help promote positive mental health.

Below are a few key "ingredients" we believe are important to your child's virtual school well-being:

*Set a bedtime and bedtime routine;

*Establish a regular wake-up and morning routine;

*Engage children in daily household chores (i.e., helping with meal preparation; making beds; cleaning the bathroom).

*Make time for daily activity.

In terms of school routines, we ask for your partnership in the following areas:

*Make sure your child arrives to class on time.

*See that they dress - comfortably and respectfully - for class.

*Set up a productive workspace where your child can sit.

*Try to encourage your children use real names on their Zoom profiles.

*Remind children to keep cameras ON for all Zoom lessons. (By keeping the cameras on, student engagement is elevated and their learning becomes more meaningful.)

It is important to understand, and teachers also will review with your children, that these structures are in place because we believe that it will help promote their emotional well-being. Although some of these practices may feel "annoying" at times, we truly feel these serve to help elevate your children's productivity and positivity surrounding their virtual learning.

Manage Expectations

It is important to remember that some days will be better than other days. If your child is not engaged in learning one day, remember tomorrow is a new day. You can reach out to a teacher, an administrator or to us if you see that your child’s disengagement is frequent. If you, as a parent, is struggling, be kind and forgiving to yourself. Continue to demonstrate compassion to your child and to yourselves.

As always, we are here to support you and your children. Feel free to reach out to us at anytime.

We are here to support everyone in helping our students remain engaged in learning, feel hopeful and in as high spirits as possible.

Please join us on Thursday evening, April 23 at 8 pm. Ariella Azaraf will host a conversation on Supporting our Children and Ourselves during the NYC Pause.

Best,

Ariella Azaraf, LCSW

aazaraf@manhattanday.org

School Social Worker: Grades 4-8

Michal Agus Fox, Psy.D.

magusfox@manhattanday.org

School Psychologist: Grades Nursery-3