MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A local organization suggests parents should try to keep their children in a routine while school is out due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
“Isolation can be really impactful for young people,” Youth Villages Campus Director Colby Jonas said. “We want to make sure we’re keeping them engaged and busy.”
Jonas says any idle time can be stressful for kids and they thrive with a structure and routine. It is important to keep kids on a schedule.
“It would be really great if the young people could also be part of that planning. Ask them what they want to do, things that they like, things they are used to doing in a normal school settinmg that you can recreate in your home,” Jonas said.
It is also important to make sure parents are giving their child age appropriate information about what is happening and why things may be different for them.
“You want to make sure you aren’t scaring them by giving them too much or too broad of information,”
Jonas stresses parents need to make sure they are aware of how they are handling situations and acting in front of their child.
“It’s going to be important you don’t model any level of anxiety for them,” Jonas said. “Our children are very perceptive and they’re very inquisitive. So, if you’re showing high signs of stress or anxiety, your children are going to feed off of that.”
He also recommends taking advantage of free educational resources to keep kids busy and using their brains.
