Hi Chamberlayne friends!
While we are physically home from school, I am still “here” to address your School Counseling needs! Stay tuned for more frequent posts on this blog. Henrico’s School Counselors are all collaborating to share resources and ideas, and I will post those here as I receive them to make sure your family’s needs are still being addressed as best we can.
For MANY of us adults, this is the first time we’ve experienced a health crisis this widespread; but for ALL of our children, this is a first for them. They are watching how we respond and will mimic our levels of panic and care regarding the situation. Here are some tips for the coming weeks:
- Create and maintain a daily routine for your family. Your school-age children are used to operating on a schedule Monday-Friday, and truthfully all children (no matter their age!) feel safer with clear boundaries, expectations, and routines. In a time when we may not be able to tell them what’s happening next OUTSIDE our houses, being able to tell them what’s happening next INSIDE our homes will provide them much-needed comfort and reassurance. Build in times for fun, relaxation, and free choice activities too – just keep it within structured times as much as possible. This will help you, too!
- If you or your children struggle with anxiety, set aside times each day for activities that help you manage that. For some, movement activities like yoga, jogging, or dancing is most calming. For others, working with their hands through projects like writing, drawing, or building crafts is most helpful. For those who need social connection to feel most at ease, try a daily phone call or FaceTime call with a family member or friend who gives you a positive perspective.
- Speaking of phones and FaceTime…. whether or not you normally have screen time limits in your home, I recommend you set some for the next few weeks. There are lots of educational apps and virtual learning that can be accessed through technology, which is great; however, making clear boundaries to when the screens need to be put down will keep your children from becoming too dependent on devices. Research has shown over and over that too much screen time affects our brains and emotional health in a negative way. When a device is being used, set a timer on it or on your own phone and be firm that when that timer goes off, the device is turned off and plugged in. It will be challenging at first, but you won’t regret it! If your child is not used to that boundary, set up a reward system: for example, turning it off without a fuss 3x in a row may result in extra screen time.
- Lots of educational websites are giving free access to e-learning materials during this unprecedented time. Here is a counselor website that has some free coronavirus-specific printable activities (such as mindfulness bingo and a daily schedule template): http://www.counselorkeri.com
- Here is a link to a letter detailing some Henrico County mental health resources: HC mental health numbers and links
If you or your student wants to chat, you can email me at leholcomb@henrico.k12.va.us or fill out this Google form to request a call, email, or Google Hangout with me: Request a chat with Ms. Holcomb
I will miss seeing your students’ faces and getting their hugs and hope we are back in business here at Chamberlayne soon! In the meantime, don’t hesitate to reach out if I can be of any help.