This week on our WCTE Get Ready To Learn radio show, host Cynthia Whittaker Putman will share information about At-Home Learning with WCTE, as well as tips for dealing with anxiety, and resources for educational, mental and self-care.
At Home Learning
WCTE PBS, Putnam County Schools (TN) School System, and the Tennessee Department of Education have partnered to assist parents and caregivers during school closures.
WCTE’s new At Home Learning website contains links to the TN Dept. Of Education learning materials, WCTE’s new schedule on the main channel, and interactive activities from PBS Learning Media that align with all daily educational programming.
WCTE’s Connection Zone focuses on all the great PBS KIDS programming with links to information that parents need to help their children stay engaged while gaining educational knowledge.
Social/Emotional Needs of Parents & Students
This is a very challenging time for all of us.
You must first take care of yourself so that you can continue to take care of your loved ones and your daily responsibilities. This is especially important for parents and caregivers who are helping their children with school work.
Here are some things to try...
- Set Boundaries: Boundaries can help you in all areas of your life, but in the wake of COVID-19, they’re especially helpful in quelling stress. You have the power to set boundaries to protect your energy and mental health.
- Practice Safe Handwashing: Remember we know that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests we avoid touching our faces, disinfecting frequently touched objects, and washing our hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Teach this to your children and do it with them.
- Hang On To Hope: Cultivating hope in times of fear can be hard, but there are ways we can shift our mindset to make our anxiety feel less intense. One way you can do that is by making sure to keep track of small wins and moments of gratitude you have throughout your day. Savoring these moments of joy will help you build in breaks from your anxious outlook.
But overall, accept that so much of the COVID-19 outbreak is out of your control. And understand your anxiety comes from a place of wanting to make sense of uncertainty—which is human.
Tips for combating anxiety:
- Create a routine for yourself and your family and try to stick to it. Kids thrive with structure (see sample daily schedule below).
- Build your routine around movement. A light stretch in your home, mid-day dance break, or a short walk around your neighborhood can improve your mood.
- Build a Routine Around Cooking. Cooking is a way to create a sense of routine and keep yourself fully immersed in a task—an important benefit at a time when it feels easier than ever to get lost in a worry spiral. My new routines have included taking intentional time to make myself meals and sitting down at the table to eat. It’s a routine that I’ve tried to implement in the past, but it didn’t quite stick. It is now an important part of my daily routine.
Please know that no matter how isolated you feel, you are never alone.
- Text “TN” to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line and to immediately be connected to a trained crisis counselor 24/7. Click this link to learn about the Crisis Text Line
- The Suicide Prevention Lifeline number is 800-273-8255. If preferred, you can go to the website and participate in a chat feature. Also, the Tennessee Statewide Crisis number is 855-CRISIS-1 or 855-274-7471.
- Go HERE for free, anonymous, evidence-based screenings for anxiety, depression, trauma, etc. Parents can take a screening to determine if their children are showing symptoms of depression or anxiety. The back-end of the screenings provides local resources and do-it-yourself exercises to help.
- Mental Health America proudly started Mental Health Month in May 1949. Annually, we provide helpful resources to promote May as mental health month, but there are also some COVID-19 bonus materials.
I hope that you find these resources to be helpful.
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