It is September and the new school year has begun! For many parents this is met with excitement! For many kids and teens it sounds more like groans with thoughts of anxiety of what will this look like?

School has not been the same, nor will it be the same as usual as we enter into another phase of the global pandemic that has rocked all our worlds these past 2 years. There’s the uncertainty of how school will look from day to day.

Will there be mask requirements in the future?
Will teachers be here today and out tomorrow?
Will we need to go remote again or will I have to go back into school the whole year this year?
Will I get sick? Will my friends get sick?

As a parent, caregiver, teacher, etc, you too are wondering and worrying about what this year will bring.

Will my kids go to school? Will they be remote?
Do I need to prepare for more time at home and quarantine?
Will I my kid come home and shut down?
Will I get calls from school because my kid feels “sick”?
Will we fight to get out the door?

And you may be asking yourself and others, what can I do to help my kids this year?

The following are Four simple ways to help your children and yourself get through this year and beyond:

1. Allow yourself to be human

As parent’s or leaders of children, oftentimes we can be extra tough on ourselves to be the perfect teacher, leader, mom, dad, guardian. True support comes from being human, making mistakes, owning those imperfect parts of you, which allows children in your care to embrace the imperfect in themselves. Kids learn the most through the behaviors their caregivers model for them.

2. Learn about yourself

Take some time to discover yourself, understand what is going on in your body and what happens when you’re feeling certain ways. Pay attention to how you feel, how you calm yourself. This helps by modeling to your child and helps them connect with what is going on in their body.

3. Get into a habit of caring for yourself

Self-care is vital to managing your stressors and keeping yourself healthy. If you're simply surviving to get through the days, your kids will too! Show them to take care of themselves by caring for yourself first!

4. Manage expectations together

Take some time to work with your kids and teens to discuss and set expectations for the year together. Oftentimes kids become overwhelmed by perceptions of high expectations, and parents do not know what their kids needs and expectations of them. Make this known! Address needs for each other throughout the year.

The most important thing to remember is to give yourself some grace, give your kids grace too. You are all in this together. School is stressful, Covid is stressful, the unknown is scary … It is okay to express this, name it, and encourage your kids to do the same. So how can you help your kids? Be you! Know You! Take care of you! And work together!