While first days of school are always hard on parents and children alike, this year especially brings a whole new realm of feelings. Parents are sending their children back to school and into the unknown. Whether it’s right or wrong – we may never know. Regardless of which side of the fence you’re on, support for others is integral for either side to progress.
For those that opted to keep their children home and in their well protected bubbles, they struggle with the fact their children are missing out on the socialization with their friends and a chance to have some time and space outside of their homes.
They’re back to knowing they may need to help with not just homework, but teaching as well.
Learning new technologies and apps to make it through the start of the school year.
And on the other end, you have the parents that have opted to send their children to school.
Preparing them by going through all of the extra precautions they need to take and even setting little minds at ease by letting them know that their teachers are and always have been, there to keep them safe.
The task of labeling school items has grown with the addition of masks and mask bags, hand sanitizer, and whatever other items they need to send to school.
Knowing that youre sending your child to school in a pandemic is not a feeling to be taken lightly.
Hearts are heavy and minds are racing at all of the possibilities that can come out of this.
While it’s one thing to step foot in this as a grown adult – being prepared and taking all of the precautions we have been trained to do, a child is another story.
While we have spent the past six months training and trying to instil in our children all of the tips, tricks and new rules, they are going to be on their own to put what they’ve practiced into action.
Children as young as 4 are on their own to make sure they’re being as safe as possible.
While they will have their teachers there to guide them, those teachers are going to be trying their best to keep all of those young children as safe as possible, at the same time. A daunting task for any individual.
Teachers are stressed knowing they have higher expectations and standards to uphold. And children are stressed because they can feel us as parents and the thoughts and feelings we have.
Emotions will be running high for everyone as we take this next step into the unknown that is covid-19 and we will all need to exercise a little bit more patience and understanding with others, with children, and even especially ourselves.
Remain positive and hopeful, but don’t shut the feelings out either.
Talk openly so that your children know it’s ok to feel and it’s ok to be nervous.
In the end, talking them up and preparing them may just make yourself feel a little bit better too.
Knowing that we’re all in this together and your child’s teacher wants just as much as you do to keep your children safe, for our sake and theirs is an important fact not to be diminished.
We all want this to work.
We all want to be able to move past this.
Regardless of the side we’re on, working together is key. We all need each others support these days. Spreading kindness is important.
The first steps may be scary, but they can move mountains and be oh so worth it.
Guest Blogger Rayna Davies
Rayna Davies is a graduate and practitioner of Business Management. She has developed an expertise in blogging, covering subjects like travel, world events and security. Having grown up with a father who has developed an expertise in Physical Security and Executive Protection in the RCMP and two major corporations, she has personally observed and experienced many security details. These experiences have included personally meeting HM Queen Elizabeth, Prime Minister Jean Chretien and many celebrities. She presently assists Sentinel Security in Executive Protection workshops and guest blogging and also assists Gloprosec Preventative Services in Intelligence gathering and Business Administration. Her passions include World travel, having visited every continent.
