Is It Safe For Children To Return To School?

Children haven’t been in school for almost six months. Typically when children break for summer, they lose a bit of what they have gained during the school year, so many feel they need to be back in school. But at this time, is it safe for children to return to school?

Many school districts have delayed the start of the 2020-2021 school year, Manatee and Sarasota counties included. But is it enough? Recently parents have been asked to decide the kind of learning they preferred their child to have this year, in person, distance, or a mixture of both. We know children learn better in an in person-environment, but consider the coronavirus spreading even more quickly now than it was back in March when they were first sent home from school. 

Schools are putting together plans to keep children more distanced if they do go back. Because we are lucky to live in a warmer climate, our children could even have more planned outdoor activities, making their time inside buildings and closer together less than before. There are also plans to have more hand sanitizers available to the students and teachers. 

By now, your child should have mastered wearing a mask and should also be used to more frequent hand washing, as well as social distancing, most important, keeping hands away from their face. If they continue to practice those safety habits when they return to school, returning to school could be a good thing. Not only will they be happy to be reunited with their friends and classmates, but they will also be back in a learning environment, and hopefully, they will be back to a regular schedule.

Upon their return to school, children should have many cloth face coverings that can be washed and changed daily to keep them clean. If they begin to exhibit any signs of being sick, they should stay home from school. 

It’s also important to note that before children return to school, check to make sure they’re up to date on all their immunizations and that they get their flu shot this season. 

Whether you plan on sending your child to school or plan on homeschooling them this year, schools do have procedures in place to help keep our children safe.