Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Returning to School During COVID-19

If you decide to send your grandchild/ren to school please be sure your grandchild/ren do the following upon returning home from school:

Make a plan to have your grandchildren wash their hands as soon as they come home from school
Have your grandchildren change their clothes and give them a bath after school rather than waiting until later.
If you have someone babysitting your grandchild/ren try to maintain that relationship with the caregiver rather than moving your grandchild/ren from one caregiver to another one.
Have a plan in place if your grandchild/ren gets sick and cannot go to school.
If your grandchild/ren seem sick with any symptoms be sure to keep them home and call their Doctor and follow all advice.
Remember COVID-19 is new and we are still learning about it, but we want to keep our grandchild/ren safe as much as possible.

If your grandchild/ren is doing remote learning from home be sure your grandchild/ren is doing the following:

Stay in touch with your grandchild/ren’s school and teachers.
Create a schedule and routine for your grandchild/ren for learning at home.
Consider the needs of your grandchild/ren and adjustments required for your grandchild/ren’s age groups.
Review all assignments with your grandchild/ren from school and help your grandchild/ren establish a reasonable time and pace for completing their school work.
You may need to assist your grandchild/ren with turning on devices, reading instructions, and typing answers.
Grandparents look for ways to make learning fun.

Grandparents here are five ways to help your grandchild/ren during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Plan a routine together: play time, reading together, online learning programs
Having open conversations: let your grandchild/ren ask questions and express their feelings, give your grandchild/ren your full attention, ask your grandparents questions and find out how much they know about COVID-19
Take your time with your grandchild/ren: start with short learning sessions, set a goal of 30-45 minute sessions, start with 10 minutes and build up from there, combine the sessions with screen time and offline activities or exercises.
Grandparents protect your grandchild/ren online: discuss the internet with your grandchild/ren such as how it works, what they need to be aware of, set rules together about how, when and where the internet can be used, set up parental controls on their devices, keep support helplines and hotlines handy, grandparents do not forget that your grandchild/ren should not share pictures of themselves or other personal information for digital/remote learning.
Grandparents introduce yourself with your grandchild/ren educational facilities: grandparent groups or community groups can be a good way to support one another while remote learning at home for our grandchild/ren.

Grandparents here are some ideas to help you create a daily schedule for your grandchild/ren:

Wake up your grandchild/ren, let them get dress whether going to school or remote learning and have breakfast at the same time everyday.
Decide where your grandchild/ren can do their school work most effectively and without distractions (remote learning)
For your younger grandchild/ren 20 minutes of class assignments followed by 10 minutes of physical activity may work well for them.
For your older grandchild/ren and teen-age grandchild/ren may be able to focus on assignments for longer stretches, taking breaks between subjects may work well for them.
Grandparents if your grandchild/ren are remote learning from home be sure your grandchild/ren know when the school day is completed.
Be sure to schedule time for nutritious lunches and snacks for your grandchild/ren. Note: many schools are providing take-home school meal packages for students who may need them.
Make sure your grandchild/ren have afternoon breaks as well!!
Have dinner together as a family and discuss the day with your grandchild/ren.
Enjoy more family time with your grandchild/ren during the evenings, such as playing card games, reading, watching a movie and exercising together.
Grandparents be sure to stick with normal bedtimes routines as much as possible during the week to make sure your grandchild/ren gets enough sleep.

Grandparents here are some ways to help keep media use positive and helpful for your grandchild/ren of all ages:

Contact your grandchild/ren teachers for educational online and offline activities that your grandchild/ren can do.
Here are other options: PBS kids, common sense media, 25 dance games, create a AAP media plan and you can find all these online.
Use social media to check in with your neighbors, friends and loved ones.
Use media for social connection if your grandchild/ren are missing their school friends or other family members, try video chats or social media to stay in touch.
Using media together is a great opportunity to monitor what your older grandchild/ren are seeing online and follow what your grandchild/ren are learning.

Grandparents as caregivers we should also be sure to take care of ourselves physically, eat healthy, exercise and get enough sleep. Always find ways to decompress and take breaks.

Here are some ways if you are feeling overwhelmed with your grandparenting demands:

Change your perspective
Give yourself a safe place to express your feelings
Give back. It feels good to give
Practice what you preach

BlogGloria WilliamsSeptember 26, 2020

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Returning to School During COVID-19

If you decide to send your grandchild/ren to school please be sure your grandchild/ren do the following upon returning home from school:

Make a plan to have your grandchildren wash their hands as soon as they come home from school

Have your grandchildren change their clothes and give them a bath after school rather than waiting until later.

If you have someone babysitting your grandchild/ren try to maintain that relationship with the caregiver rather than moving your grandchild/ren from one caregiver to another one.

Have a plan in place if your grandchild/ren gets sick and cannot go to school.

If your grandchild/ren seem sick with any symptoms be sure to keep them home and call their Doctor and follow all advice.

Remember COVID-19 is new and we are still learning about it, but we want to keep our grandchild/ren safe as much as possible.

If your grandchild/ren is doing remote learning from home be sure your grandchild/ren is doing the following:

Stay in touch with your grandchild/ren’s school and teachers.

Create a schedule and routine for your grandchild/ren for learning at home.

Consider the needs of your grandchild/ren and adjustments required for your grandchild/ren’s age groups.

Review all assignments with your grandchild/ren from school and help your grandchild/ren establish a reasonable time and pace for completing their school work.

You may need to assist your grandchild/ren with turning on devices, reading instructions, and typing answers.

Grandparents look for ways to make learning fun.

Grandparents here are five ways to help your grandchild/ren during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Plan a routine together: play time, reading together, online learning programs

Having open conversations: let your grandchild/ren ask questions and express their feelings, give your grandchild/ren your full attention, ask your grandparents questions and find out how much they know about COVID-19

Take your time with your grandchild/ren: start with short learning sessions, set a goal of 30-45 minute sessions, start with 10 minutes and build up from there, combine the sessions with screen time and offline activities or exercises.

Grandparents introduce yourself with your grandchild/ren educational facilities: grandparent groups or community groups can be a good way to support one another while remote learning at home for our grandchild/ren.

Grandparents here are some ideas to help you create a daily schedule for your grandchild/ren:

Wake up your grandchild/ren, let them get dress whether going to school or remote learning and have breakfast at the same time everyday.

Decide where your grandchild/ren can do their school work most effectively and without distractions (remote learning)

For your younger grandchild/ren 20 minutes of class assignments followed by 10 minutes of physical activity may work well for them.

For your older grandchild/ren and teen-age grandchild/ren may be able to focus on assignments for longer stretches, taking breaks between subjects may work well for them.

Grandparents if your grandchild/ren are remote learning from home be sure your grandchild/ren know when the school day is completed.

Be sure to schedule time for nutritious lunches and snacks for your grandchild/ren. Note: many schools are providing take-home school meal packages for students who may need them.

Make sure your grandchild/ren have afternoon breaks as well!!

Have dinner together as a family and discuss the day with your grandchild/ren.

Enjoy more family time with your grandchild/ren during the evenings, such as playing card games, reading, watching a movie and exercising together.

Grandparents be sure to stick with normal bedtimes routines as much as possible during the week to make sure your grandchild/ren gets enough sleep.

Grandparents here are some ways to help keep media use positive and helpful for your grandchild/ren of all ages:

Contact your grandchild/ren teachers for educational online and offline activities that your grandchild/ren can do.

Here are other options: PBS kids, common sense media, 25 dance games, create a AAP media plan and you can find all these online.

Use social media to check in with your neighbors, friends and loved ones.

Use media for social connection if your grandchild/ren are missing their school friends or other family members, try video chats or social media to stay in touch.

Using media together is a great opportunity to monitor what your older grandchild/ren are seeing online and follow what your grandchild/ren are learning.

Grandparents as caregivers we should also be sure to take care of ourselves physically, eat healthy, exercise and get enough sleep. Always find ways to decompress and take breaks.

Here are some ways if you are feeling overwhelmed with your grandparenting demands:

Change your perspective

Give yourself a safe place to express your feelings

Give back. It feels good to give

Practice what you preach

Text Copyright @ 2020 By Gloria Williams Founder/President