Keep Me Posted

Back-to-school jitters are to be expected even in normal times, which 2020 is surely not. After months at home, children leaving the nest may fuel intense separation anxiety. Add to that new rules about masks and social distancing, not to mention fear of the virus itself, and you can expect an army of kids clinging to their parents when that first bell rings

If you are supporting kids and teens through this, they need to know that whatever they are feeling is normal.

Being home with children means learning which battles to fight

There is currently a lot happening at Mina, Zoom classes, one on one sessions, activity packs, crafts, experiments, and lots of learning. There are too the frustrations, technical issues, expectations and of course the children who just want to go back to school to play with their friends.

We advertise Mina Lopato Nursery School as an Inclusive community that celebrates diversity, curiosity and kindness. Many of you have enrolled in our school for these reasons (among others). We love that about you which is why we journey together challenging that we are living up to our motto and making sure to better ourselves as and when we find ourselves falling short.

In my conversations with you and other parents over the last few months you have shared many varied concerns with me. Talking about what bothers you (as well as new ideas and suggestions) is one of my favourite parts of of being involved in children and their parent's lives.

People generally are stressed and worried about their job security, the economy, schools reopening and and and — but in all of that I have a sense that the stress of the new situation has now settled somewhat into the new (almost) normal.

This week I heard a lot about how parents are struggling at home with school work and school schedules. The very funny but a little too accurate memes and the desperate voices of parents (myself included) saying I am not this child's (children's) teacher and remind me again why they have to do this made me think about why and how this could be made easier.

Anxiety seems to be a reality of almost every family, regardless of the generation, ages or size of the family. It affects us the parents, our parents as well as our children. This was before pandemics and lockdown so how much more so now.

Some people slip easily into working from home, others not so. The experience of an old timer is helpful

Mina Lopato is carrying on during Lockdown. Here is what we are doing to keep things as normal as possible