As schools are reopening in a phased manner, below are some key guidelines for parents to help their children successfully re-enter physical schooling.
Hygiene and cleanliness: School cleanliness, disinfection and hygiene protocols should be checked by parents and actively communicated by schools to ensure transparency. Nevertheless, parents will need to be vigilant about children’s over exposure to harsh sanitisation chemicals.
Masks: While most children are now habituated to using masks, keeping them on continuously for 6-8 hours is a challenge. With smaller children there is also the added risk of masks getting exchanged. Parents should ideally label the mask with the child’s name to help them with identification.
Handwashing and washroom: Children should be drilled with the habit of washing hand at least once every hour in the school to ensure safety. Parents need to also ensure that children carry personal soap and sanitiser in their school bags. Schools too would have to gear up for more frequent cleaning of toilets to ensure safety.
Infections: Schools are expected to be extra vigilant about students showing signs of infection and having an extremely strict protocol to manage such situations.
Sports facilities: Sports are an integral part of schooling and for children going back to school after 11 months, it will be the most exciting aspect. Sports also promote much bonhomie and close contact of perspiring bodies. Parents, students and children need to ensure that social distancing and hand washing are practiced.
Transport: Transport in school buses will need extra care. While the school may be kept clean and sanitised, the transport vehicles (especially when run by third party operators) may be the first point of break down of sanitation protocol. Parents and schools need to ensure that children wash their hands and faces post disembarking.
Back home: Parents should compulsorily opt for return-from-school bath in place of the bedtime bath. This return from school bath along with daily washing of clothes will be essential for the safety of children and their family members.
Re-establishing rapport: Children meeting teachers and students after a long time will also need to re-establish rapport. This is especially stressful for introvert children.
These are times to be optimistic while being cautious. Crossing this phase successfully will ensure the return of normalcy for our children.
(The author is co-founder and head of content of an online parenting and school discovery community)