Many parents will be adjusting to going back to work or preparing to wave children off at the school gates after a prolonged period at home. For months, many of us have been spending all our time at home with our kids, and transitioning to being apart may be a daunting prospect. If your children are going back to school soon, or you’re returning to the office after working from home, here are some tips to cope with separation from our guest author.
Coping With Separation In Post-Lockdown Life: Advice For Parents
Talk openly about the situation
It’s a very confusing time for adults, let alone kids. If your children are going back to school after spending months learning at home with you, they might be excited, but they may also be a little nervous. Talk to your children about the situation, encourage them to ask questions or share any concerns they have and try and walk them through what will happen when they turn up on the first day so that they know what to expect. This will give you peace of mind, as well as getting them ready. It’s really useful to have conversations about what is going on in the world, especially if your children are old enough to see news headlines or to understand that there’s a lot of anxiety related to global events. You don’t have to go too deep, but chatting openly can help to ensure your kids feel able to approach you if they have things on their mind, or they want to ask questions.
Keep an eye on your child virtually
For some parents, taking their kids back to school will be a surreal and slightly scary experience. The good news is that you don’t have to be with your child to keep an eye out for them and make sure they’re alright. Thanks to modern technology, you can check in during the day using cell phones, and you can also take advantage of innovations like AngelSense GPS tracking for kids. If you receive notifications, or your child sends you a message at lunchtime to say everything is OK, this will help you feel more comfortable and enable you to focus on work. Your child might also take comfort in being able to interact with you even when you’re not physically with them.
Highlight the positives of returning to ‘normal’
Life as we know it has changed, but we are starting to adjust to a ‘new normal.’ As restrictions ease and children and parents prepare to leave home more frequently, it’s hugely beneficial to focus on the positives and to highlight the advantages for children to get out and about and start going to classes. Talk to your kids about seeing their friends and teachers, enjoying learning and catching up after a long time apart.
Image by Lorraine Cormier from Pixabay
For many of us, the next few weeks will involve leaving the home bubble and spending more time apart from our kids. If you’re preparing to embrace post-lockdown life, hopefully, these tips will help you and your children cope with being separated.