BCS Digital Learning – Kindergarten & Preschool

2nd April, 2020

Dear BCS Kindergarten & Preschool Parents and Carers,

It is our sincerest wish that all of our Kindergarten & Preschool children, you and your families as well as beloved ones feel safe, healthy and connected.

In addition to keeping your child physically safe during this time of closure, it is also important to care for their emotional health. Below, we summarise recommendations for promoting the emotional well-being of your child in the face of these types of adversities as well as  providing in class dojo a list of helpful resources and activities.  Because broader environments play an important role in supporting your child’s resilience to childhood adversity, our BCS kindergarten closure curriculum supplements resources specifically for your child and their families.

Recommendations from your BCS Kindergarten & Preschool Early Years Professionals to support and protect your child’s emotional well-being during this time:

Understand that reactions to the pandemic may vary. 

Your child’s responses to stressful events are unique and varied. Some children may be irritable or clingy, and some may regress, demand extra attention, or have difficulty with self-care, sleeping, and/or eating. New and challenging behaviors are natural responses and adults can help by showing empathy and patience and by calmly setting limits when needed.

Ensure the presence of a sensitive and responsive parent or caregiver. 

Social distancing should not mean social isolation. 

Creative approaches to staying connected are important (e.g., BCS Class Dojo videos, writing letters, our online BCS video group chats), while of course striving to limit screen time as much as possible.

Provide age-appropriate information. 

Your child tends to rely on their imaginations when they lack adequate information. Please reference our Class Dojo posts to learn more about how to speak about the current pandemic with your child at a level where they can construct understanding.

Create a physical and emotional safe environment by practicing the 3 R’s: Reassurance, Routines, and Regulation.

First, all adults should reassure your child about their safety and the safety of loved ones, and tell them that it is adults’ job to ensure their safety. Second, adults should maintain routines to provide your child with a sense of safety and predictability (e.g., regular bedtimes and meals, daily schedules for learning and play). And third, adults should support your child’s development of regulation. When your child is stressed, their bodies respond by activating their stress response systems. To help them manage these reactions, it is important to both validate their feelings (e.g., “I know that this might feel scary or overwhelming”) and encourage them to engage in activities that help them self-regulate (e.g., exercise, deep breathing, see also our mindfulness or meditation activities, regular routines for sleeping and eating). In addition, it is essential to both your child’s emotional and physical well-being to ensure that families can meet their basic needs (e.g., food, shelter, clothing).

Keep your child engaged. 

When your child is bored, their levels of worry and disruptive behaviors may increase.

Increase your child’s self-efficacy.

Create opportunities for caregivers (which may mean yourself) to take care of themselves.

Your child’s well-being depends on the well-being of you as their parents and other caregivers. Caregivers must take care of themselves so they have the internal resources to care for others.

Seek professional help if your child show signs of trauma that do not resolve relatively quickly.

Emotional and behavioural changes in your child are to be expected as everyone adjusts to a new sense of normal. If your child shows an ongoing pattern of emotional or behavioral concerns (e.g., nightmares, excessive focus on anxieties, increased aggression, regressive behaviors, or self-harm) that do not resolve with supports, professional help may be needed.

Emphasize strengths, hope, and positivity.

Your child needs to feel safe, secure, and positive about their present and future. Adults can help by focusing your child’s attention on stories about how people come together, find creative solutions to difficult problems and to overcome adversity. Talking about these stories can be healing and reassuring to your child and adults alike.

In closing, we are here for you, when you need us. If your child is having a difficult time coping with the outbreak and you want to seek our help, please feel free to contact us.

We care for your child and your family, even when we are social isolating and caring from a distance.

We leave you with this video summary of the week.  Enjoy!

https://youtu.be/rzsG0fSiQZU

Kind regards,

Matthew Carlyle, Head of BCS Kindergarten & Preschool

Katharina Ehrenfried, Head of Kindergarten & Preschool.