Family Recommendations & Resources

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic may be stressful for everyone, including children. Fear and anxiety about a disease, especially one that is unknown, can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions in adults and children. How you cope with the stress and anxiety, however, can make you, your child, your family, and your community stronger. Consult our guide on how you can become aware of signs of anxiety as well as methods to support your child during this crisis. Download Dealing With Anxiety PDF 1. Excessive worry or sadness 2. Excessive crying or irritation in younger [...]

News of the coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, is everywhere – from television stations and neighborhood streets to the school playground. As public discussions about coronavirus increase, children may worry about themselves, family, and friends becoming ill and will rely on the adults around them to help make sense of this global pandemic. While shielding children from the news may feel like the best way to protect them during these hectic times, research shows that children tend to worry more when they are kept in the dark about what’s going on around them. Parents, family members, school staff, and [...]

Witnessing a traumatic event that threatens the life or security of a loved one can be traumatic. Like natural disasters, pandemics can be a source of extreme stress and trauma for children and adults alike. In fact, it is likely that the stress adults feel as a result of this coronavirus crisis will be mirrored in their children. So, how do we begin to recognize trauma not only in ourselves, but also in our children and put in place practices and routines to overcome it? To answer this question, it is important to understand how stress and trauma show up [...]

While we at Catapult Learning firmly believe that nothing can replace direct instruction and support from our teachers, we offer the following as a resource and guide to help families plan for disruption to the normal educational environment. View the PDF Establishing an Environment for Learning: Below are some suggestions which may help your child/ren transition to distance learning during an extended school closure: If possible, set up a dedicated space at home, free from distraction, with room for a device, classwork materials, and supplies. Talk with your child prior to the transition, to alleviate [...]