SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — San Diego Unified School District, the county's largest school district, will return to in-person learning Monday for all students whose families chose that option. After spending more than a year at home, it will be a big change for kids and parents.
News 8's Shannon Handy spoke with Dr. Tonika Green, a professor in the Department of Counseling and School Psychology at San Diego State University on ways to make the transition smoother.
Below are the questions from News 8 and Dr. Green's answers.
This is going to be a huge adjustment, right?
"Yes. I think about my own daughter who has been back a couple weeks but kids kindergarten through high school are anxious about what’s going to happen in this new normal or this new world they’re going to be living in. And one of the things I’ve been doing and telling other parents to do is just check in with your child…..have a conversation about what do you wanna know? what are you anxious about?
However you normally check-in....at bedtime with younger kids you can read a book about someone who is going through a new milestone or going through something they need support with and so with younger kids a book is such a good opportunity to read and talk about but then bring it back to real life about what they might be experiencing."
How do we address this with the older kids?
"Normalizing those feelings, checking in but also routine, routine, routine. Have them get back to the routine of going to bed on time, taking screen time away for at least an hour before bedtime, planning what they’re wearing for the next day."
As parents, how do we prepare ourselves?
"The first thing you can do is just take a moment to breathe so just know just like you tell your teen it’s not gonna be perfect. have that expectation. Just celebrate the little successes and focus on what’s strong instead of what’s wrong so if your kid comes home dirty face, messed up clothes, celebrate you’re doing well - you made it through the day."
WATCH: San Diego Unified preparing to reopen for in-person instruction