Day: May 28, 2020

Prior to reopening, administrators will need to establish a number of new policies and procedures. The CDC is recommending that all children be screened each day before being allowed to enter the facility.  Your program will need to determine the best way to conduct those screenings.  You will also need to have the protective gear and equipment on hand to meet new requirements.

There is much to consider before opening to the public.  Use local, state, and national recommendations to create these new policies and procedures. Here is a link to the CDC recommendations. You will also need to consult your local health department for additional recommendations specific to your region.

Your planning should address:

• How you will respond when a child becomes ill while in your program
• How you will respond when an adult becomes ill while in your program
• Staffing to cover teachers who become ill
• Enhanced cleaning and sanitizing measures
• Appropriate social distancing
• Changes to daily routines
• Changes to teacher ratios
• How you will enforce new policies

Use a variety of methods (in writing, in person and electronic) to share new procedures and policies with families.  Be sure to do so well in advance of reopening so that families have time to prepare themselves and their children for the changes in routine.

For the main article Preparing Children and Families for the Return to Care, CLICK HERE

For the article Preparing for New Routines and Separation Anxiety, CLICK HERE

For the article Talking to Children about COVID-19, CLICK HERE

For the article Managing Adult Emotions, CLICK HERE

Many adults are going through this pandemic with a great amount of stress on their shoulders.  Around the world, people are experiencing feelings of fear and apprehension. As our nation reopens, family members may be feeling forced to go back to work. Others are eager get back to work, needing to reestablish their income.  And still others are feeling like this has all been a waste of time. Be prepared for the fact that some of these strong emotions are going to be expressed in your presence.

Maintain professionalism when engaging with families and coworkers:

• Establish firm boundaries. If another adult tries to pull you into a conversation about the politics surrounding the shut-down, simply acknowledge that this is a challenging time and remind them that your focus needs to be on the children.
• Do not engage in disagreements about COVID-19. If you disagree with the person’s statement, you could respond by saying, “That is an interesting point of view.” or “I hadn’t looked at it from that perspective.” Remember, you don’t need to attend every disagreement you are invited to!
• Consider sharing informative articles and resources with families and coworkers. Here are a few possible sources of reliable information:
  • Local health departments
  • gov websites
  • CDC
  • AAP

For the main article Preparing Children and Families for the Return to Care, CLICK HERE

For the article Preparing for New Routines and Separation Anxiety, CLICK HERE

For the article Talking to Children about COVID-19, CLICK HERE

For the article Establishing and Communicating Policies, CLICK HERE

Chances are, at some point during this pandemic, you have been confused with all of the information out there about COVID-19.  Recommendations and safety practices change weekly as scientists and health department officials learn more about the virus. If you are confused, you can bet that children are confused as well.  Not only have children’s routines been turned upside down, they are likely overhearing bits and pieces of adult conversations about the pandemic.

Children are probably hearing new vocabulary words, paired with the underlying anxiety family members are expressing related to health and economic concerns.  It is important to talk honestly with children about COVID-19, using words that they can understand. Be prepared to repeat yourself often as children process the information you are sharing. This article discusses why it is important to discuss COVID-19 with young children and natural, child-led ways to do so.

It is a good idea to get in contact with families prior to reopening to find out how they have been talking to their children about COVID-19.  What words and phrases are they using? Share resources with families to help them with these conversations.

Children’s literature can also help start conversations with children about current events.  Here is a list of children’s books recommended by Bank Street College of Education.  For older children, one expert recommends encouraging children to read science fiction and fantasy books as a strategy for developing resilience. Characters in science fiction and fantasy novels often find themselves in situations where they have to survive, and eventually thrive, in extremely challenging conditions.  Sound familiar?

For the main article Preparing Children and Families for the Return to Care, CLICK HERE

For the article Preparing for New Routines and Separation Anxiety, CLICK HERE

For the article Managing Adult Emotions, CLICK HERE

For the article Establishing and Communicating Policies, CLICK HERE

Many children have been home with their families for several weeks, or even months. They have adjusted to a different routine and possibly become accustomed to spending lots of time with their parents who will soon be returning to work. Returning to care is going to be yet another adjustment children need to make in a short period of time. Even children who have been in your program for multiple years may show signs of separation anxiety during the first few weeks after reopening.

Some of the normal recommendations to help with separation anxiety, such as comfort items from home or parents spending time in the classroom before departing do not align with new CDC guidelines. It will take some creativity and collaboration with families to support children who experience separation anxiety.  Perhaps parents could drop off a comfort item (that is able to be cleaned and sanitized) prior to the child’s first day.  Teachers could sanitize the item and have it ready for the child on their first day.

Communicate with families about separation anxiety and provide ideas for how they can begin to talk about the back-to-school transition in a positive way with their children.  However, at drop off, everyone should be prepared for anxiety. Comfort children as best you can, walk them through the new drop-off procedures, and allow them to engage in an activity of their choice upon entering the classroom.

It is best that programs prepare for children to experience stress upon returning to care. That means deliberately making adjustments to the morning transition to keep it as stress-free as possible. Don’t expect children to be able to follow the drop off routine independently, even if they were doing so prior to the shut-down. Provide prompts and visual cues to remind children of tasks, such as hanging up their bag and washing their hands. Posters that illustrate the steps of the transition can be placed by the classroom door, especially if you are introducing new safety steps into your routine.

Teachers will also need to adjust other elements of the routine, such as circle time.  It is recommended that teachers refrain from gathering children in groups where they have to sit close to one another. This is a time to adapt your typical teaching methods to incorporate small group work and individual exploration that allow children to spread out.

For the main article Preparing Children and Families for the Return to Care, CLICK HERE

For the article Talking to Children about COVID-19, CLICK HERE

For the article Managing Adult Emotions, CLICK HERE

For the article Establishing and Communicating Policies, CLICK HERE

As many communities begin to re-open after COVID-19 related stay-at-home orders are lifted, child care programs are going to be crucial to the success of the economic recovery. Experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) have developed guidance for programs that have remained open to care for the children of essential employees. The CDC has also created decision trees for child care programs and youth programs/camps to help administrators decide whether they are prepared to open their doors to children and families.

While the recommended strategies are necessary at this time, some go against many of the practices that one would see in high quality programs.  Examples include adaptations to drop-off/pick-up routines, family style dining, and teacher/child interactions due to social distancing.

It is important that program leaders and employees meet prior to reopening to discuss the new recommendations and determine the best way to put them in place while maintaining as many high quality practices as possible. For example, what language will teachers use to remind children to keep their masks in place or give their peers extra personal space?  How will these concepts be introduced and reinforced in a positive manner, rather than in a punitive one?  What are the social distancing measures that your program will put in place that still allow children ample time to play and learn together?

It is clear that there will be enhancements to cleaning routines to maintain a safe physical learning environment, but programs must also spend time planning for ways to maintain a safe and nurturing emotional environment for young children.

For the article Preparing for New Routines and Separation Anxiety, CLICK HERE

For the article Talking to Children about COVID-19, CLICK HERE

For the article Managing Adult Emotions, CLICK HERE

For the article Establishing and Communicating Policies, CLICK HERE