26 Mar 2020
What's important right now? Getting the balance right:
In this time of uncertainty, I know that some parents and carers will be feeling stressed and worried by the work that has been sent home or set up online for our students, as they try to balance life and in lots of cases, working from home.
As a community, we have never experienced anything like this virus before, so we are all feeling anxious as we try to make sense of what is happening. We are all learning how to manage and cope at the same time, such is the unprecedented nature of this world event, at least in our lifetimes.
Although the idea of being away from school for weeks may sound awesome for your child, they may have been picturing a fun time like our summer holidays, not the reality of being trapped at home and not seeing their friends.
Over the next few weeks, you will probably notice a change in your child’s behaviour – maybe they’ll be anxious, angry, withdrawn or saying they can’t do the things they would normally do. Tantrums, meltdowns and some oppositional behaviour may also happen – and that is perfectly normal!!
During this time, what your children need is reassurance and love. They need to feel like things are going to be ok – and if that means that you don’t complete all of the work we’ve sent home - that’s perfectly fine. As long as, allowing for everyone's health, you attempt to do some each day and try to get some learning routines in place. When we are back at school, our job as teachers is to make sure we continue on with their learning.
Please find the right balance. Consider watching your child’s favourite old DVD movie with them, play in the yard when the weather’s right, play board games, cook something with your child, read books together, draw or paint together, do a jigsaw puzzle or conquer that old Rubik’s Cube!
Please above everything else – don’t stress. Please make sure you look after yourself and your family at this crazy time. Yours and your family’s mental health is the MOST important thing at his time. From all staff at The Meadows Public School, take care everyone.