Going Back to School During the Coronavirus Pandemic: 7 Back-to-School Prep Tips for an Unprecedented School Year School/Education Parenting Education

With this unprecedented back-to-school season upon us, parents are dealing with many uncertainties and concerns about the coming fall semester. Whether your child is starting with virtual classes due to the coronavirus pandemic, a hybrid learning model where they may only be in the classroom some days or if they’re fully returning to traditional in-classroom instruction, here are a few tips to help you get prepared:

• Talk to your child. Most kids already know their lives have changed and the start of this school year will be drastically different, so be upfront about the situation and empower your child to make smart choices and do their part to help stop the spread. Things like hand washing, social distancing etiquette and mask wearing should be discussed. Having an open conversation and presenting all the facts will make both you and your child feel less anxious.

• Make face masks fun (and familiar). Have a face mask for every day for your child, and make sure they like the mask and are comfortable wearing it for extended periods of time. Cloth face masks come in countless patterns and colors, and kids can use them to express their personal style while staying safe. Pro tip: It's also smart to make sure kids have an extra mask in a plastic baggie every day just in case something happens to the first one.

• Have hand sanitizer on hand. Make sure your child has hand sanitizer readily available anytime they may need it. Hand sanitizer on a keychain works great for backpacks, and using Velcro to attach a small bottle of hand sanitizer to the inside of lunch boxes is another great idea.

• Create a back-to-school space. Before the first day of school, spend some time creating a space in your home for your child to study or do homework. If you don't have a spare area or if you have multiple children who want to work together, create a way to store school supplies in a cart or container that's portable and can be used at the kitchen table or anywhere. This back-to-school space or station will store everything from school laptops to pencils and crayons, plus it can also house your child's calendar of activities and assignments, backpack, permission slips or papers your child brings home for you and more.

• Develop a sleep routine now. Getting up early for school can be jarring for middle and high school students who have been used to sleeping in all summer. Start adjusting their snooze schedules little by little about a week or two before school starts.

• Meal prep healthy lunches and snacks. Getting organized ahead of schedule makes all the difference in the world. There are tons of online resources and recipes for quick, easy, healthy snacks and lunch ideas for kids of all ages (and adults!). Meal prep for the coming week on Sundays and have everything conveniently stored and ready to go in the fridge to help streamline school days.

• Don’t neglect social time. Students who are starting out the first part of their fall semester may be feeling a little down about not getting to see their friends, but there are plenty of peer-to-peer learning tools like Brainly. Setting up Zoom calls with friends is another great idea to ensure your kids aren’t missing out on time with friends and distant family.

The information on 30Seconds.com is for informational and entertainment purposes only, and should not be considered medical advice. The information provided through this site should not be used to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease, and is not a substitute for professional care. Always consult your personal healthcare provider.

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