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Back to School Follow Up 2021 (First published September, 2020)
So how are we all doing now that the first week or two of school during the Covid – 19 pandemic is in the books? Our adult children certainly have a challenge this year helping their children to learn at home. I’m sure that as grandparents, we can all agree that it’s NOT a good idea to deal with a stressful situation like this, by making your adult children think that you know more about raising their child than they do. We grandparents are always ready to help out of course, but this one needs to be approached with caution. Here’s a few little back to school helpers – just in case you’re interested!
According to Dr. Frank McGeorge, an Emergency Room Doctor at Henry Ford Hospital, and also the Good Health Medical Expert at Detroit’s News 4, some parents are noticing an inability of their children to pay attention or finish tasks. This causes to parents to wonder if their children might have a learning disability.
Dr. Lea Ann Raymo, Ph.D, from the Beaumont Children’s Center for Human Development, reminds us that “this is not what your child is necessarily like in the classroom. It is so much more difficult to gauge a student’s level of engagement when instruction happens virtually.” There is a difference between students who have a true learning disability and students who are performing poorly due to non-cognitive factors of achievement. She suggests that if there weren’t concerns about your child’s learning before the pandemic, chances are it is not a disability, but something else.
Be sure to include a little outdoor fun within the school day. Lack of exercise can cause disruptive sleep patterns, restlessness, hyperactivity, and anxiety. Disruptive sleep patterns can cause inattentiveness.
Fox 2 Detroit’s Deena Centofanti reminds us to consider sleep. According to Dr. Mariya Kopyrina, a Family Medicine doctor from Henry Ford Health Systems, the most important part about sleep is waking up at the same time every morning. Is it a good idea to give your child Melatonin to help fall asleep? Dr. Kopyrina suggests it’s better to find out the cause of why your child can’t fall asleep. Limit stimulation in the evening; eliminate caffeinated beverages and sugary foods. Get your kids excited about starting school!
Consult your pediatrician if:
- You notice changes in your child’s behavior – talk of self- harm.
- Loss of interest in things you child used to enjoy.
- Changes in sleep or appetite.
Detroit’s Sandra Ali of News 4 has some advice from Dr. Donna Rockwell, Clinical Psychologist. “Parents need to understand that it’s up to them to have a calm presence with their children because if they are hyped up, the children will be hyped up, so the first thing is to calm down.” Provide a special school working area where there aren’t many distractions. Divide the day in an organized way so that children feel a sense of order. Make children part of the process so they can take ownership of what’s going on around them. Limit their choices so they can make decisions easily.
Experts agree that it is important to have structure during this pandemic, but at the same time be flexible – we’re all learning new strategies – this has never happened to us before! Children will learn that can get through anything because they got through this. And don’t forget to make time for the fun!
Click on these websites for more little helpers.
Have a grand school year!