For most of us, life is more unsettled these days than ever before, making it a real challenge to stay calm and focused, keep things in perspective, and do what the experts recommend to keep our families -- indeed, ALL of us -- safe. (Please check out the Town of Brookline’s informative Covid-19 website for the latest news and necessary precautions for minimizing the virus’ spread - https://brooklinecovid19.com/.) But this too shall pass, and we’ll all get through it together.
Going forward, resilience will be key, and B-PEN is here to help. We’ll try to keep you connected via B-PEN’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/BrooklineParentEducationNetwork/) and website (www.B-PEN.org ) with important resources and ideas for maintaining productive, balanced family life as we hunker down during these days of social distancing and isolation. (Hard for adults, but REALLY tough on kids!)
For academic concerns, the schools are your best source of information. The Brookline High School Home page (http://bhs.brookline.k12.ma.us/) is a good site for the most up-to-date announcements from school administrators, including communications about free and reduced lunches, access to chrome books and wifi, and educational resources. This page is particularly on target - https://www.brookline.k12.ma.us/coronavirus Also, the Public Schools of Brookline facebook page is another good source of information - https://www.facebook.com/BrooklinePublicSchools/
For strategies for surviving this new normal with grace and sanity intact, B-PEN offers these four basics:
Third - For months, students have had the structure and expectations of the school day. With these abruptly altered, they need help structuring their day and finding productive activities and healthy distractions. (Bring out the playing cards and board games, and don’t forget that even if libraries close, books are available a variety of ways online.) This artilcle offers some excellent suggestions for creating routines and having fun - https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2020/03/14/parenting-tips-coronavirus/
Fourth - All of us, especially kids, need exercise and physical release. As much as the weather allows, get everyone out of the house and moving, whether it’s going for a run, a walk, exploring a trail, rambling through a park... Try to keep your six-foot bubble as you pass others, but take some time to reconnect with the great outdoors. For rainy days, consider the multitude of online workouts available. Maybe even make it a competition in your house to find the most fun workout/dance class to GET MOVING!
The Brookline High School Parent Teacher Organization is committed to supporting important communications between school and home. It sponsors a variety of events each year designed to show support of the school and to keep parents informed about how to help their children make the most of the BHS experience.
