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It is quite natural for parents to have concerns regarding their kids going back to school. Navigating your child’s education while dealing with a global pandemic is not easy. After months of working on a home schedule that finally fits your family’s needs, you will now have to adapt to a new routine that fits your WFH schedule. From concerns about following proper social distancing rules to their child’s transportation, bathroom breaks, and the lack of seriousness shown by certain parents, parents express their concerns about what scares them the most about schools reopening.
How Serious Are Parents?
“I have come across many parents who don’t take the pandemic seriously. From what I’ve heard and know about them, many parents at my daughter’s school don’t believe in wearing masks or following social distancing rules. I’m genuinely concerned about my daughter’s safety as I have to send her to a place where it takes just one irresponsible parent to put the whole school in danger. “ – Emily
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A Bigger Class Means More Potential Students To Spread The Virus
“Even in kindergarten, my son had 27 other children in his class, where 3 kids shared a bench with 2 feet distance between each other. This year there are probably going to be a lot more kids. How are they going to manage with more kids and social distancing in place? And with younger kids, it is going to be even more difficult to discipline them. Don’t get me wrong, I have trust in the school authorities. But even if they come up with a system that reduces the strength of the class by half, I’m not sure if any person can say with certainty that they will make sure kids follow social distancing rules and wear masks at all times.” – Jenny
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How Safe Is School Bus?
“My kids take the bus to school. I have no idea how it’s supposed to work in the face of a pandemic. Though they have ensured us that rules will be in place and masks will be made mandatory, what about other stuff? How many kids are going to travel on a bus? Will there be someone to supervise them? Kids can get easily distracted and it won’t be easy for anyone to supervise all the kids by themselves.” – Ira
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How Will Bathroom Breaks Work
“Are bathroom breaks going to be supervised? Will they create a new system in place on how many kids will be allowed to go at a time? Even with supervised bathroom breaks, one cannot possibly stand outside the stalls to make sure that all kids are following the rules. Also, will they restock hand washes and hand sanitizers every time they run out? Bathrooms are the perfect place where kids can become distracted and forget the social distancing rules especially when they are forced to stand 6 feet apart and wear masks all day long.” – Melanie
4 Ways To Deal With The Uncertainty
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Dealing with uncertainty can pave the way for anxiety among parents. With new routines, new challenges, and school reopening plans, it is easy to be consumed by worry if you don’t find a healthy way to deal with your emotions and concerns. Below we list down some ways you can deal with it:
- Give yourself a break. Be kind to yourself and realize that parenting can be extremely challenging whether you are a stay-at-home parent, working full time, or a single parent.
- Talk to other parents. You will be able to find comfort when you realize that other parents are also dealing with the same things as you are. It will also help you understand that your concerns are valid.
- Try not to obsess over things you have no control over. It is best to learn radical acceptance by accepting the reality for what it is. It doesn’t mean that you like how things are right now, but understanding that it’s something you have no control will help you feel more at ease.
- Don’t hesitate to say your concerns out loud. If you have any genuine concerns for your child’s safety, feel free to share them with the school authorities or whoever is in charge.
The uncertainty of when will things get back to normal, school reopening plans, and changing routines and schedule can be hard on any parent. But if your feelings of uncertainty and anxiety don’t quite settle down and start to affect your physical and mental health, it is best to talk to friends, family, or seek professional help.
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