As schools around the world close as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, families face the challenging task of transitioning to at-home learning for an estimated or indefinite period of time. Some schools are quickly pivoting to a distance learning module, as we have done at The Alexander Dawson School, while many are still figuring out how to continue educating and feeding our youth in the midst of so much uncertainty. Whether a school has the ability to provide at-home learning or not, we know our children’s routines and expectations and family life as we know it are significantly disrupted. Although some situations may present challenging behaviors, it’s important to remember all emotions are OK. Parents can incorporate the common language used in school, including Social Thinking vocabulary and the Zones of Regulation, to support children during this time.

Social media. Just the mere mention of it can elicit a collective groan from all within earshot. It’s the thing almost everyone hates to love, yet the thing in which almost everyone loves to partake. From pictures of our daily meals to throwbacks of our most embarrassing photos, it’s easy to fall down the rabbit hole when perusing your newsfeed or dreamily reliving some of your most favorite memories. Even as adults, it’s difficult to draw the line; I myself must admit that I am guilty of experiencing FOMO (or, anxiety and apprehension caused by the “Fear of Missing Out” for those of you who don’t know) when I see others having what I perceive to be fun in their online posts. Yet, because I am an adult, I also have the knowhow to realize when it’s time to put myself on hiatus and take a break. But are kids capable of this same self-awareness and understanding? Through the many ages and stages of adolescence, children and teens vacillate from adult-like independence to awkward self-consciousness, from curiosity about the vast world around them to introvertly locking themselves away in their rooms, from enthusiasm over family dinner to only seeking the approval of their peers. So how can we, as the adults in their lives, help kids strike a healthy balance? Enter Rosalind Wiseman.