Back to School During a Pandemic

Are your kids heading back to school this Fall? Check out changes we are making in hopes of keeping healthy.

My two kids headed back to school this week! They were both so excited to see their teachers and friends. Our school has gone through great lengths to welcome the students back in the classroom. They have had a long list of guidelines from the CDC to follow and have checked all the boxes. Their already small classrooms are even smaller and their desks are now separated by six feet. They will no longer share supplies and work more independantly during the day. Teachers will come to them instead of them moving room to room. They will eat lunch at their desk. They have to wear masks at all times except for when they are eating.

So many changes but changes my kids are OK with because it means they can go to school! In an effort to keep them healthy we have gotten a few things to make life easier as well as started a few new routines too. I am sharing what our family is doing now that the kids are back to school!

Masks

The biggest change with going back to school during a pandemic is that the kids are required to wear masks at all times. Thankfully we have found masks the kids find comfortable and will wear for long periods of time. Our school requires solid color masks (boo!) but thankfully Jaanuu makes the nicest solid color masks we have found! My 3rd grader wears the youth size and my 7th grader wears the adult mask. The best part is you get five masks for under $30. I am still amazed by the quality for the price.

I was worried about the kids taking off their masks for lunch, putting them on their desk, falling on the floor, etc. Eww! So I found these mask saver lanyards on Etsy made by SweetNugget! They are perfect for my 3rd grader. He picked out all the colors he wanted and they fit great. My daughter wanted something a little different so we bought her mask saver lanyards on Etsy made by DoubleJoyDesigns. I am ordering more for me and my husband too! The less we have to touch our masks the better!

After School Routine

My husband and I decided we would need to change up our after school routine slightly this year. While some of the steps are the same we have just added some extra steps out of precaution.

1. Backpacks and lunch boxes will go in the trunk of the vehicle after school
2. I will give them hand sanitizer before getting in the car and touching anything
3. When we get home they will now put their backpacks, lunch boxes, jackets and shoes in a locker we purchased to put in the garage. It seems so small but it is perfectly adequate for our purposes!
4. Wash your hands immediatley (Nothing new here)
5. I will then sanitize all items while they head in to change and shower into their regular clothes
6. By then their backpacks and lunch boxes will be ok to handle in the house

Some may think this is over board but it gives us peace of mind and we would rather err on the side of caution! Anyone that knows me knows I am a germaphobe!

Wellness Routine

While this routine is not really new for our kids I am sharing because we feel that consistency with our wellness routine will assist in the keeping the kids healthy!

1. Daily vitamins. They love these!
2. Elderberry vitamins
3. Zinc Lozenges
4. One CALM gummy in the evening assists with their sleep routine
5. doTERRA* On Guard Soft Gels (once a week usually)
6. doTERRA On Guard Touch or Stronger Touch on their spine in the morning and before bed
7. doTERRA Essential Oil blends going in the diffusers
   1. Breathe and Wild Orange
   2. OnGuard
   3. Lemon and Eucalyptus
   4. Serenity for bedtime

*For more information on doTERRA check out Get Started with Essential Oils

I am still in disbelief some days that all of this is happening! We just take it one day at a time. It is our hope and prayer the kids will remain in school this year but even if they do not, the joy they had going back this week is enough for me. We continue to be so surprised by how resilient they are to these massive changes in their world. Their Dad and I are so proud of both of them. I hope that these back to school steps help your family as you adjust to the school year whether at home or at school. I would love to hear about new back to school routines you might have implemented for this year! Please share in the comments below.

If you liked this post check out my page on other ways to Surviving Quarantine with Kids!

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