Never before have we, as parents, been challenged in this way. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced us into unchartered parenting territory. MI Parent Edge recognizes that we are all being challenged right now to utilize every tool we have in our parenting toolboxes. We will to continue to provide content and programs that support our students, parents, staff and community. Here are a variety of articles, videos and resources to help us through this unchartered territory!
Note: The titles below provide links to external sources. Some websites or publications may require a paid subscription to access the article.
AGES & STAGES
Preschool & Elementary
- Expert advice for sheltering in place with a tyrannical toddler. – Washington Post
- Sole Survival: Raising an Only Child in Quarantine – ParentMap
- Why Kids Regress During Times of Stress – Red Tricycle
- Resilience Is The Most Powerful Skill Kids Can Develop Right Now – Huffington Post
- Talking to Younger Kids About Corona Virus – Child Mind Institute
- How Germs Spread – Mark Robersons
Tweens & Teens
- Coronavirus Anxiety Is Seriously Affecting Teens. Here’s How To Help. – MSN
- Needing Attention and Crying for Help on Social Media – Screenagers
- Some Teenagers Are Creating New Rituals in the Pandemic – New York Times
- Webinar Recording: Supporting Your Quaranteen: Raising Happy, Healthy Kids in the New Normal – Dr. Christine Carter for Parent Map
Hear what it looks like to support teens through this crisis, including: why it’s so hard for teens to shelter in place; how to notice and respond to how kids are responding emotionally during this time at home; how to support teens as they grieve their losses (no matter how big or small). - Webinar Recording: Teens in Lockdown – New York Times
Psychologist Lisa Damour joined the Well founder, Tara Parker-Pope, to talk about how the lockdown is affecting teenagers. Both parents and teenagers were invited to submit questions, and they touched on a range of topics — depression, sleep, marijuana use, anxiety about going back to school, being a transgender kid in a transphobic family, and more. - Talking to Teens about Corona Virus – Harvard Medical School
- How to Help Teens Shelter in Place – UC Berkley Greater Good Science Center
- Navigating COVID-19 with Young Adult Offspring – Julie Lythcott- Haimes
- The Agony of Social Distancing for Adolescents – GrownandFlown.com
Graduating Seniors
- Don’t Tell Seniors They Shouldn’t Be Sad – Grown & Flown
- Class of 2020, Your Community Showed Up for You In a George Bailey Moment – Grown and Flown
- To Go or Not To Go: That is the Question – How to talk about starting college amid COVID-19 – Julie Lythcott-Haims
PARENTS JUGGLING IT ALL
- This isn’t the parenting Olympics, and when you realize that, you win. – Washington Post
- ‘It Was Just Too Much’: How Remote Learning Is Breaking Parents. – New York Times
- Expert Tips for Managing Family Conflict During Quarantine – Parent Map
- Webinar Recording: Parenting Lessons from the Pandemic – Challenge Success
SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL WELLBEING
- Advice for Building Resilience in Kids – American Psychological Association
- A list of Age Appropriate Movies to watch as a Family that Focus on Perseverance – Common Sense Media
- How Can I Stay Positive for My Kids When I’m So Overwhelmed? – Greater Good Science Center
- 5 ways to teach our children empathy in these challenging times – Washington Post
- How to Manage COVID-19 Anxiety – Dr. Laura Kastner, ParentMap
- How to Stop Feeling So Helpless During Quarantine – Greater Good Science Center
- Countering COVID-19 Stigma and Racism – National Association of School Psychologists
- Supporting Students through Coronavirus – Teaching Tolerance
- Supporting Mental Wellness and Family Life During COVID-19 – Seattle Children’s
- Webinar Recording: Emotional Health in a Pandemic: Tips for Parents & Teachers – Maureen Healy
- Feeling Anxious? Talking about it Skillfully with your Kids and Teens – ScreenagersMovie.com
- Handwashing for Mental Health – Letter from MIYFS School Counselors
- Outbreaks can be Stressful – CDC.gov
- What to Focus on When Things Feel Out of Control – Creating Positive Futures
- Comfort through Music and a Lesson for Kids from Yo Yo Ma – ShareMyLesson.com
SCREENS, SCREENS & MORE SCREENS
- Our screen-time rules don’t work in this new world. And maybe that’s okay. – Washington Post
- My first-grader has been thrust into a virtual social life. But is he ready? – Washington Post
- Don’t despair if your child is glued to a screen, it may be keeping them sane. – The Guardian
- 5 Major Screen Time Challenges and How to Solve Them – Creating Positive Futures
- Should I Feel Guilty about all the Screen Time My Kid is Getting Right Now? – Common Sense Media
- Tips for Managing Technology – Jo Langford, BeHeroes.net
- Webinar Recording: Parenting in a Pandemic. So. Many. Screens. – Dr. Devorah Heitner
Get support on how to mentor kids on their tech use in this uniquely challenging scenario, including: how to set up routines for distance learning; what the “screen time” rules should be during this unusual time; how to help kids deal with anxiety; how adults can model healthy habits and boundaries while working from home with children around.
PLANNING FOR SUMMER AT HOME
- Wrap up the School Year – As you wind down the school year, take note of what you have learned about your child’s learning style, challenges and motivators so that you can share the information with your child’s teacher in the fall. Prepared.org provides a “Parent-to-Teacher Letter” template to help you note what you have learned. As parents, our new perspective into our children as learners is an open door to a partnership with teachers moving forward
- Should I let my kid be bored? – Prepared for Success
- Summer Ideas for Families During Covid-19 – Challenge Success
- Webinar Recording: Best Summer Ever – Elizabeth Stitt, Joyful Parenting Coach
- Webinar Recording: Helping our kids manage summer disappointments – Tina Bryson
- Webinar Recording: Uncharted Territory: Strategies for Coping with Structure-free Summer During the Pandemic – Dr. Christine Carter
REMOTE LEARNING
- Creating Healthy Home Routines for Kids – PBS
- Tips for Homeschooling During Coronavirus – NPR (podcast start at 1:25)
- Homeschool Plan that’s Realistic not Sadistic – Ned Johnson, Washington Post
- 10 Mistakes Students Make with Online Learning – Creating Positive Futures
- Remote Learning/Helping Kids with ADHD or Learning Challenges – ShareMyLesson.com
MISD RESOURCES
Video: Managing Technology at Home – Mercer Island School District
Topics include screen time, filtering options available for MISD iPads at home and Screentime restrictions available from Apple and Xfinity.
MISD Fireside Chat Webinar Recordings – MISD Youtube Channel
Featured topics:
- Managing Meltdowns At Any Age – June 17
- Falling Ahead or Falling Behind – A discussion on college admissions and maintaining academic progress
- Managing Technology At Home
- Mindfulness
- Stress: Cause, Effects and Management
SILVER LININGS
- A humble opinion on a post-pandemic world. – Kelly Corrigan, PBS NewsHour
- Why some kids are happier right now, and other unexpected effects of quarantine. – CNN