All the Feelings that Come with Returning to In-Person Learning — And Why They’re Justified
As the vaccine becomes more and more available, opportunities for in-person learning are popping up, too. At Flex Academies, we’re looking forward to safely welcoming students to in-person camps this summer. We’re excited to offer fun enrichment and learning loss catch-up, and more than anything else, we’re looking forward to reuniting with students and serving families through high-quality programming each and every day.
Even though it’s incredible to have this opportunity, we understand the array of feelings that can come along with it. Below, we’ll address these concerns along with the benefits of returning to in-person camp:
For Parents, the Return to In-Person Learning Can Be Nerve-Wracking
As adults, we know the seriousness of COVID-19. We’ve grown more comfortable with staying home, as it’s our way of protecting our loved ones, and society in general, from spreading and/or catching this unfortunate virus. Even as the pandemic finally begins to near its end, going back to normal life can bring about a long list of fears.
Returning to in-person learning is a decision you’ll have to make for your own family, but it may help to know that at Flex Academies, we’re experienced in doing things safely. We have the best interests of families, students, and staff in mind at all times, and we’re proud to follow strict safety guidelines as we welcome kids back into our care.
We’re here to make this change as easy on you as possible, and we’re so excited to provide your children with awesome experiences once again.
For Kids, the Benefits are Endless
Our kids deserve to be out enjoying their childhood, partaking in exciting new experiences as often as possible. This hasn’t been easy with the pandemic, but it is a major positive that comes along with the return to in-person learning.
Below are a few specific ways our children will benefit from the change:
An Improvement in Mental Health
Missing friends is hard. The switch to distance learning brought about mental health challenges that weren’t all that common in kids beforehand, including higher rates of depression and anxiety due to isolation and a global pandemic. There are plenty of ways to support mental health from home, but getting out and about, engaging with peers, and experiencing fun, new things definitely fall toward the top of the list.
In-person learning opportunities can help kids with motivation and school engagement levels, too. It’s a change that is sure to improve multiple mental health aspects in kids of all ages.
A Clear Growth in Social-Emotional Skills
It’s never been a question that distance learning lacks the ability to build social emotional skills at the necessary rate. Of course, overall health and safety need to come first, but when our children have the ability to grow these ever-important skills, it’s worth taking advantage of.
In-person experiences help kids practice:
Building relationships
Sharing
Turn-taking
Healthy decision making
Independence
And much, much more
A Glimpse Forward to Normal Life
More than anything else, attending in-person camp can help your child have a fun summer experience that’s as close to normal as today’s options offer. It’ll remind your child what it’s like to be surrounded by friends and classmates day after day, building up old relationships and creating new ones, too. It’ll give your child new experiences to look forward to that aren’t possible to recreate at home. It’ll give them time to just be a kid.
No matter how you’re feeling about the switch back to in-person activities, remember that Flex Academies is here to help. Feel free to reach out to us with any questions and concerns, and we’ll be looking forward to your return whenever the time is right for your family.