In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, BStrong Together is honored to partner with the Barrington Area Library for Best We Can Parenting - a new virtual parenting series to help parents navigate the challenges of our new world.  For more information and to register for upcoming sessions, visit balibrary.org.

In Session 1, Dr. Chris Bibby helped us learn how to filter through all the prescriptions and advice for managing family life during the COVID-19 outbreak to help you find what works best for you and your family.  

Questions asked during the session include:

• How are people feeling about distance learning because I find it very stressful?
• Do you have advice for a parent who is home alone with 2 young children who are doing distance learning while I am finishing up a college degree online?  How do I manage all of this?
• My teens are spending a lot of time on their own and missing the contact from peers that they need right now.  What should I be looking for as signs of depression that might be more serious?
• I'm not sticking to much of a schedule right now.  When it's time to go back to school, what do I need to do to get my children ready to return to early mornings, etc.?
• What do you think about those color-coded schedules that came out right after the quarantine went into place?  Should we use them?
• When the time comes to return to school, what tips do you have for communicating with kids that they are safe to return?
• Do you have tips for modeling resiliency for young children?
• How do I manage taking care of all of the responsibilities of distance learning, working from home, taking care of young children and the household, and balancing that with self-care?  How do I learn to be ok with something being neglected?
• What tips do you have to help manage our kids' disappointment over missed birthdays, graduation, dances, sporting events, etc.?

Resources

Glennon Doyle's  video - How to Make Your Kids Social Geniuses During Corona 

Wonderopolis

Healthy Barrington

Encouraging Public School Parents Who are Now Homeschooling

The Mood Meter App

Permission to Feel: Unlocking the Power of Emotions to Help Our Kids, Ourselves, and Our Society Thrive  by Marc Brackett, Ph.D.