Positive Parenting During COVID-19
There’s a pandemic right now, and your kids are watching you. They are watching as you watch the news, talk on the phone, and move through the day. They are watching your reaction to just about everything at the moment. Whether you realize it or not, your kids are soaking in Every. Single. Thing. you are doing and saying right now. Why? Because you are their primary window to the world. You are their primary interpreter in the strange land of COVID-19.
If there has ever been time to remind our ASPCC friends about positive parenting, it’s today.
In general, we define positive parenting as:
1) Spending quality time with your children.
2) Engaging in meaningful conversation.
3) Positively reinforcing a desired behavior.
There is so much about this situation that we simply can’t control, but we can control how we interact with our kids. This is our opportunity to teach them how to be good people. I know you may be scared, or mad, or maybe sad, but we all know that this time with you can shape the trajectory of your children’s lives. Have you ever talked to someone who grew up during the Great Depression? Or maybe you were just a kid yourself on 9/11? The point is, we know childhood experiences like these shape us, so let’s do what we can to be more thoughtful about our behavior and words as parents right now. Little pitchers truly do have big ears.
We’ve started a list below of helpful links for parents. Feel free to submit additional links should you wish to share resources that are working for you.
Parenting during the COVID-19 crisis can be harder, but if we all concentrate on the right things (love, grace, and kindness), we will make it through. You are always welcome to check out our Learning Center for additional resources.
LINKS TO PAGES WITH INFORMATION ABOUT HOW TO TALK WITH CHILDREN ABOUT COVID-19
- National Association of School Psychologists: Talking to Children About COVID-19 – A Parent Resource
LINKS TO PAGES WITH FREE AT-HOME PRINTABLE WORKSHEETS OR ONLINE MATERIAL
Knowledge on the Go: Eureka Math
Our team of teachers and teacher-writers are working to create online resources for math, English language arts, and science that can be used by teachers and parents at home. While the list of resources will be growing over time, all-new instructional videos and materials will be added here as they are created.
In the meantime, remember that our Eureka Math/EngageNY Math curriculum is a free, open education resource available to anyone, anywhere.
Free animated online lessons for kids about coronavirus.
In the event that your school is closed for an extended period of time as a result of recent events, we’ve put together a collection of digital games that students can play at home. Students can click on any game and start playing!
Teach Language through fun activities & games
Reading aloud to children has been shown to improve reading, writing and communication skills, logical thinking and concentration, and general academic aptitude, as well as inspire a lifelong love of reading. Teachers use Storyline Online in their classrooms, and doctors and nurses play Storyline Online in children’s hospitals.
Storyline Online is available 24 hours a day for children, parents, caregivers, and educators worldwide. Each book includes a supplemental curriculum developed by a credentialed elementary educator, aiming to strengthen comprehension and verbal and written skills for English-language learners.
Khan Academy offers free courses of all grade levels to help students master subjects and accelerate their learning. Through these courses, Kahn Academy allows students to personalize their learning and learn at their own pace.
PBS LearningMedia provides students with free lesson plans, videos, and games aligned with standards they are learning in the classroom.
TEDEd brings lessons to life for students through animation. TEDEd’s goal is to ignite curiosity among learners. To do this, TEDEd collects the best teacher lessons around the world. Then, it turns them into shareable animated videos for students.
Duolingo helps students keep up with foreign language skills. Duolingo offers 30+ languages so students can start learning a variety of languages that interest them. Or, students can use Duolingo to practice the foreign languages they are already learning in the classroom.
Varsity Tutors offers free and virtual live classes, field trips, and homeschool tutors. Explore classes by subject, grade level, and peruse class offerings taught by celebrity instructors.
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