It used to be this easy. Roll back into town, make a few lunches and send the squirts back to class. This classic Staples commercial is my favourite reminder of what back to school joy to mean for us parents and the faces on most of our kids. 2020 is going to be a completely different ballgame.
Where do go from here? Kids are back in class in most areas, being eased in before the long weekend with a whole bunch of new rules to manage around, no lockers to store stuff and a whole bunch of face masks that make it hard to know what anyone is smiling and saying. In Alberta, we have just seen a spree of teachers and support staff come through pharmacies to get swabbed and tested for COVID with the hope that they can set a baseline for themselves starting the year. We have also now had the first of the school outbreaks in some schools and the uncertainty starts from here. Only a small percentage of parents opted for their kids to school from home and the rest of the kids are in class again starting tomorrow.
There is no right or wrong answer here for parents or kids. Our experience with the web-based schooling in the fall was a difficult one. The teachers did a great job adapting to the style and preparing a new way of teaching. The issue was more so the fact that as working parents, we did a poor job of managing the boys through the challenges involved, starting with getting their asses on the computer! Hard to know what’s right for each family and if you are blessed with an educator at home, you may be smarter to keep the kids there too. For those of us who work, we rely on the school system to teach our kids while we keep the economy moving. What are the best steps to take:
- Continue to get tested
In Alberta, I applaud the Government for making testing readily available for those that need it (symptomatic) but also for those who are forced to work in larger cohorts (asymptomatic) and have the risk attached to that. Armed with that, parents can have their kids tested as frequently as desired and better manage the seasonal cold realities. Your local pharmacies can test for people who have not been in contact with a positive case and who have no symptoms as listed by AHS. Set up a plan with your family to have them tested as often as possible.
2. Stay home if you have any of the symptoms
Seems obvious now but that makes for some tough decisions for parents. It is the only thing to do when faced with a child who has the seasonal flu and we should all take the decision out of the school’s hands. If you have older children, the issue is often whether they are telling you how they are feeling so we need to create some honest communication with kids along the way.
3. Get the Flu shot in October
This is essential for protection against the regular flu and this year you will not want to face the problems related to COVID compounded with the seasonal flu. Some reports out of South America are reporting that the strains of flu are responding to the vaccine this year. There are also studies that show that getting the vaccine is helping lessen the effects of COVID, should you contract the virus. Alberta has purchased only enough vaccine for 45% of Albertans and this will put demand on the vaccine. Get this as early as you can when it launches in October.
All we can do is do the right things at home and protect your family from COVID, through the interactions we have daily. Educate the kids on the things they can do and the importance of why school being open is important. If the cases jump and the schools close up, we will all face a challenge that will hamper the kids for years to come. Do the right thing now.