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Moving towards this over the next few weeks...

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Moving towards this over the next few weeks...

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Axel says:

I asked myself what I could do as a children's illustrator to inform, as well as entertain, my readers here and abroad, about the Coronavirus. So I was glad when my publisher, Nosy Crow, asked me to illustrate this question-and-answer book. I think it is extremely important for children and families to have access to good and reliable information in this unprecedented crisis, and hope this digital book will reach many children.

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I asked myself what I could do as a children's illustrator to inform, as well as entertain, my readers here and abroad, about the Coronavirus. So I was glad when my publisher, Nosy Crow, asked me to illustrate this question-and-answer book.

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Scottish digital voices

Provided by CALL Scotland and funded by the Scottish Government, they are free for the Scottish public sector.

Use the voices to...

Read and listen to educational resources such as electronic books - spoken using a Scottish accent.

Speak, using a voice output communication aid with a Scottish accent.

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Windows (SAPI5) and Mac OSX Scottish digital voices for your computer or communication aid. Resources such as electronic books are spoken using a Scottish accent. They include adult, teenager and child voices as well as a Gaelic language option.

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Chromebook Accessibility and Learning Tools

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Chromebook Accessibility and Learning Tools

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Updated June 2020 - this document contains links to the app store

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Updated June 2020 - this document contains links to the app store

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Updated June 2020 - this document contains links to the app store

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Supporting Young People with ADHD during the Coronavirus Crisis

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Supporting Young People with ADHD during the Coronavirus Crisis

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Support for Kids With ADHD During the Pandemic - Child Mind Institute

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Kids with ADHD may need extra structure and support to manage attention and behavior challenges and keep on track with learning in this challenging situation. Here are tips for helping them stay focused and manage impulsivity.

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How to submit your work in TEAMs - including some IMMERSIVE READER help.

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How to submit your work in TEAMs - including some IMMERSIVE READER help.

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A Social Story Template to Support Learners at Home

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A Social Story Template to Support Learners at Home

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A Social Story Template to Support Learners in the new School Environment

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A Social Story Template to Support Learners in the new School Environment

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"This bright and cheery app... includes games and friendly voice overs." - "Handy skills to teach your kids."
-- The Australian

- 2012 Parents' Choice Silver Award winner - Parents' Choice Foundation

- Selected by Apple as iPhone App of the Week in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Overall New & Noteworthy in France, China

- Discover an easy and fun way to learn analog/digital clocks.

- Learn to tell the time in different languages! Multiple languages all recorded by native speakers (English, French, Spanish, Japanese, German, Swedish, Russian, Dutch, Portuguese, Norwegian, Danish, Korean, Chinese and Italian).

"a thorough, well thought out approach to learning and practicing the art of telling time" -- www.theiphonemom.com

- Includes 9 beautifully hand drawn interactive clocks that comes with movable hour and minutes hands especially designed for small fingers!

This app was made for you by artists and educators, with the help from school teachers and mother's groups to bring you the best app in learning to tell the time for young beginners. We understand the many challenges faced by parents when explaining concepts to young children and that is why Interactive Telling Time balances the need for learning with fun and interactive games.

Interactive Telling Time is great for kids from ages 3 to 12 and comes in 5 difficulty levels so that it helps kids master telling time progressively (statistics is provided to help keep track of your child's progress).

Beautifully illustrated with many adorable clock designs and accompanied by encouraging voice-overs and cheerful background music, this app creates a kid-friendly environment to enhance their learning experience.

Interactive Telling Time Features:

Universal App:
- Universal app for iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch.

Educational:
- Learn to set the time via Interactive clocks with movable hour and minute hand!
- Learn to read a clock/to tell time.
- Learn conversion between analog clock and digital clock
- Learn the concept of day and night.
- Learn how to use AM/PM, 12 hour and 24 hour clock notation.
- Quiz Mode (Learn concepts such as 'o'clock', 'midnight', 'half past', 'quarter past', 'quarter to', 'past', 'to', etc.)
- Designed for kids aged 3-12! 5 difficulty levels to choose from.
- A score board to keep track of kid's progress
- Tutorials for young learners.
- Virtual Aquarium reward - Your kids will want to play to try to win all the rewards!

Beautifully designed interface:
- 9 Beautifully Hand Drawn Interactive Clock including:
+ Simple Teaching Clock (crisp indicators to make it simple and easy)
+ Lion Clock,
+ Train Clock,
+ Aquarium Clock,
+ Moon Clock,
+ Flower Clock,
+ Gears Clock,
+ Owl Clock and
+ Seven Wonders Clock!
- Creatively designed animated rotating earth which alternates between sunrise, noon, sunset, and night backgrounds.
- Easy to use interface specifically designed for young learners

Additional Fun Games with educational values:
- Stop The Clock - A fun and exciting game designed with an educational focus. With the clock minutes hand ticking, kids will have to stop the clock as per quiz question (for example, Stop the clock at 9:45!).
- Clock Puzzle - help kids learn the positions and use of all clock components such as digits, hour hand and minute hand.
- Discover time at your own pace in our new Explore Time play mode!

--------------

Connect with us!

Visit us: http://www.GiggleUp.com
Like us: facebook.com/GiggleUpApps
Follow us: twitter.com/GiggleUpApps
Email us: Support@GiggleUp.com

Brought to you by GiggleUp, creators of the award-winning Interactive Telling Time and other educational apps for kids. Our goal is to promote learning through play with the purpose of helping children develop useful learning skills. Our apps have been enjoyed by children and used in classrooms all around the world!

- Fixed a crash issue on loading screen
- Performance and bug fixes

Great learning tool but not working anymore.

I am a teacher that likes to use this app with my pupils. They love it and it is a fun way to learn. Unfortunately it is not working anymore. When I try to open the app I just get a white screen. Please try and fix this problem please. I have some very disappointed children at school.

It is awesome but....

It is a bit confusing for my 6yr old step brother. He is learning about time and I thought this app would be perfect. It was for a while, but eventually he got super confused. I had to start helping him use the app, when he never used to need help. I would have to sit there for hours while I explained to him how certain things in the game worked......I got super confused and checked the app after he went to bed, and I found what he was so confused about. He was having trouble reading the clock. The clock looked like a clock you would find in a work office. It was confusing even for me to read. Could you have spoken instructions on the clock when you tap two numbers? It would make this game so much easier for my stepbrother to use

Nice work 🤫

I've had this app for 1 year I'm seven Yes I'm a bit old for this but now I only do stop the watch. Time is the only thing I'm bad at at school 🏫 so I've got this app and a clock in my bedroom saying when it 5 past 10 and all the time we know it's a bit slow but it also gives you pet fish along the way

The developer, GiggleUp Kids Apps And Educational Games Pty Ltd, has not provided details about its privacy practices and handling of data to Apple. For more information, see the developer's privacy policy.

No Details Provided

The developer will be required to provide privacy details when they submit their next app update.

Information

Provider

GiggleUp Kids Apps And Educational Games Pty Ltd

Compatibility

iPhone

Requires iOS 8.0 or later.

iPad

Requires iPadOS 8.0 or later.

iPod touch

Requires iOS 8.0 or later.

Mac

Requires macOS 11.0 or later and a Mac with Apple M1 chip or later.

Languages

English, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian Bokmål, Portuguese, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Swedish, Traditional Chinese

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giggleup kids apps and educational games pty ltd

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‎"This bright and cheery app... includes games and friendly voice overs." - "Handy skills to teach your kids." -- The Australian - 2012 Parents' Choice Silver Award winner - Parents' Choice Foundation - Selected by Apple as iPhone App of the Week in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Overall New & N...

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‎Subitizing, or quickly recognizing the quantity of objects in a group without having to count, is an important number sense skill. Practice recognizing the number of dots in a variety of pattern types including from 1 to 10 dots. Dice patterns and patterns based on 10-frames are included. Patterns...

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Numbers lines can be downloaded to help with sequencing, negative numbers and times tables.

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‎Number Line helps students visualize number sequences and demonstrate strategies for counting, comparing, adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing. Choose number lines labelled with whole numbers, fractions, decimals, or negative numbers. Or use a blank number line, with or without tick marks…

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Splat Square can be used to give a visual aid to completing arithmetic work

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These data handling games and activities help children to understand how data can be displayed in various ways including pictograms, bar charts, pie charts and tally charts. They provide opportunities for data analysis and for children to create their own bar and tally charts.

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Free data handling activities for children including making bar charts, tally chart activities and pictograms.

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Shape, Position and Movement, Maths Games for 3-5 Years - Topmarks

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Selection of excellent educational maths and literacy games, organised by topic and age group - Topmarks

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Typing Games to Support Speed and Accuracy

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Typing Games to Support Speed and Accuracy

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Activities that explore numbers, sequences, times tables, addition and subtraction

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by ADHD Foundation

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Microsoft produced video explaining how Immersive Reader works.

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Strategies to support a Dyslexic learner approach essay questions.

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Supporting a Dyslexic Learner at Home - Information for Parents

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Supporting a Dyslexic Learner at Home - Information for Parents

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Supporting Dyslexic Learners with Spelling

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Supporting Dyslexic Learners with Spelling

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Supporting Dyslexic Learners with Reading

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Supporting Dyslexic Learners with Reading

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Sumdog provides a platform for pupils to practice their Maths skills

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Sumdog provides a platform for pupils to practice their Maths skills

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Sumdog - Personalised maths and spelling practice that children love!

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Sumdog's maths and spelling adaptive learning games for children aged 5-14 boost engagement and fluency. See how Sumdog can have an impact in your school!

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Search the Accelerated Reader database for books within your child's ZPD.

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Search the Accelerated Reader database for books within your child's ZPD.

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Readingwise - supports and develops decoding to improve pupils' reading skills.

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Readingwise - supports and develops decoding to improve pupils' reading skills.

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A Social Story about the return to school

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A Social Story about the return to school

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How to submit your work in TEAMs - including some IMMERSIVE READER help.

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How to submit your work in TEAMs - including some IMMERSIVE READER help.

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Education Scotland are producing a weekly newsletter to support parents of pupils learning at home.

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Aberdeenshire Educational Psychology Phone Support Service

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Aberdeenshire Educational Psychology Phone Support Service

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We are offering a telephone support service which is available to parents/carers and professionals to talk through any education or wellbeing concerns. Our phone line is available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 9am-3pm. If you would prefer us to call you, please email eps@aberdeenshire.gov.uk with your name and number.

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How to use the Aberdeenshire Digital Library service...

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How to use the Aberdeenshire Digital Library service...

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Enquire is an independent organisation who provide support and information on additional support needs. They have specific information for parents on Coronavirus.

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We created this section on our website to help you keep track of how the latest Scottish Government coronavirus guidance may affect additional support for learning.

While things may look a bit different during coronavirus, schools should still be supporting their pupils with additional support needs during term time. In this section of our website we have:

tried to answer some of the main questions and concerns families have been raising with us about their child's education and support during coronavirus

explained how schools should be supporting their pupils while reducing the risks of coronavirus

explained the changes to exams, course assessments and appeals.

Because of the current rise in coronavirus cases, restrictions that have already been in place for some time in schools (like face coverings for high school pupils) are due to continue for the moment. There will also be some further restrictions introduced after the school holidays in January. For example, groupings of pupils will be reintroduced where practical to limit the number of contacts each pupil has. We will keep these pages of our website updated as things change, so it is a good idea to check back regularly.

If you have a question that we have not answered in the sections below, or if you have other concerns about your child's additional support for learning, please get in touch with our helpline. We will listen to your concerns and do our best to answer any questions you may have.

You can also keep up to date with the latest developments on Twitter and Facebook.

Our website for children and young people, Reach, has lots of information and advice for your child about their learning and support during coronavirus which is also updated regularly.

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Coronavirus and additional support for learning - Enquire

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Understand the law in Scotland for children with additional support needs during Coronavirus (COVID-19) and get advice on educating children at home

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We're all on edge because of the coronavirus. Our daily lives have been disrupted, we aren't sure what tomorrow may bring, and for many of us the nonstop news and social media coverage isn't helping.

Our experts say that dealing with your own anxiety can be the most powerful way to make sure your kids feel secure. If you or your children are feeling worried, learning how to deal with that anxiety in a healthy way can help the whole family be more resilient, both now and when the pandemic is finally over.

"The treatment for anxiety isn't to make the fear go away, it's to manage the fear and tolerate uncertainty," explains Jerry Bubrick, PhD, a clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute. "So for the kids who've been in treatment for this, it's almost like they have an immune response or they're vaccinated against uncertainty. They've been training for this and now they're able to put their skills in place and for many of them the coronavirus is not affecting them as much as those of us who aren't used to dealing with uncertainty on a daily level."

Many parents are having a harder time dealing with COVID-19 than their children, and some of the anxiety that kids are experiencing may be inadvertently passed on by worried parents.

As parents, we need to be modeling for our kids how to react to stressful times by coping with anxiety in healthy ways. "I think we have to be mindful of the present and stay focused on what is actually happening and not let ourselves go to worst case scenarios," Dr. Bubrick recommends. "If we're showing our kids catastrophic thinking and head-in-your-hands worry, and crying and fear, then they're going to learn that's the way to handle the times now."

Be smart about what you're reading. While we should make sure we are informed about how best to keep our families safe, we should also be thoughtful about what we are reading online to make sure it's actually helpful. It is easy to inadvertently get sucked into reading every update as it comes in, or clicking on, in Dr. Bubrick's words, "the doomsday apocalypse kind of stories, which I would consider to be 'mental health fake news.'"

Consider putting a limit on the number of articles you read, or for how long you will read about the coronavirus each day. If you're consuming media that is making you anxious - take a break. Being informed is one thing; being overexposed is another.

Focus on what you're doing right now. Though we're getting more information about the virus daily, we don't know what will happen, something that's a massive anxiety trigger for almost everyone. It can be tempting to get caught up in imagining what the future might look like, but Dr. Bubrick recommends trying to stay focused on what's happening now rather that what might happen later on. "Focus on making sure you're in the moment, and dealing with things in the present."

Stop yourself if notice that you are getting carried away with "what ifs." It will help if you can set aside time to regularly practice mindfulness, which is a tool to help people stay grounded and calm. Parents can practice mindfulness alone or with children. You can't control the future, but you can take charge of the present.

Rely on routines. Establishing a routine that involves exercise, regular meals and healthy amounts of sleep is also crucial to regulating our moods and our worries. It can be hard to accept that our old routines are no longer possible because of COVID-19 precautions, but looking for ways to be flexible and start a new routine can help you feel less anxious and more productive. Remind yourself that life is still continuing, and ground yourself by doing things like making agendas and setting goals.

When kids are feeling anxious, it may or may not be clear to parents. "We shouldn't be looking for just one thing," says Dr. Bubrick. "We should be ready to handle a variety of different expressions of anxiety." Anxiety could look like:

Kids may not always be able to express how they are feeling. For younger children, Dr. Bubrick suggests using a feelings chart instead of saying "Tell me how anxious you are." With a feelings chart, which you can find on the internet, you can ask kids to point to the feeling they are having now. Parents can also use a traffic light chart to help kids share how intense their feeling is - a red light means they feel overwhelmed, a yellow light is medium and a green light is okay.

For kids who are more able to articulate how they are feeling, Dr. Bubrick says it is better to ask what psychologists call "forced choice questions." "If you ask a vague question you're going to get a vague answer," he says. "So instead of asking 'How was your day?' which is pretty vague, maybe ask, "Did your anxiety get in the way of you having a good day today?" he suggests.

If you're wondering about a teenager, Dr. Bubrick recommends talking about yourself first. "You can say something like, "I saw this article today and it made me wonder about this and that. Did you see something like that? What's your reaction to it?'"

Structure their day. As parents we often think that setting boundaries for a child is a way to make our lives easier, but in fact kids thrive on them, too. It is easy for children to get bored or fretful if they are facing a day without structure, and anxiety can thrive under those circumstances.

Make sure that you are structuring their days when they are cooped up at home. Alternate chores or schoolwork with more fun activities and periods of free time. As restrictions lift and summer sets in, be sure to incorporate safe, socially distant outdoor activities as well. Make sure kids are still getting the chance to exercise and socialize with friends via video chats and social media if they are on it.

Avoid giving too much reassurance. For kids of all ages, Dr. Bubrick recommends avoiding getting into a cycle of providing too much reassurance. Kids can come to rely on the reassurance and want to hear it more and more often - and when a parent isn't able to give them complete reassurance their anxiety can worsen.

Instead, remind kids of the things they are doing to take care of themselves (like washing their hands and staying indoors) and encourage them to focus on being in the moment. They can practice mindfulness activities alone or with you.

Model calm yourself. Don't share your worries with your children, and if you are feeling anxious, find a way to ground yourself. "After this crisis is over, your kids are going to walk away from this having learned things," says Dr. Bubrick. "What will they have learned from you in the way you handled this? Will they look back and say 'Wow, I'm really impressed with how Mom and Dad held it together?' Or are they going to walk away and think the world is a scary place?"

Look for the positive. Finally, Dr. Bubrick recommends looking for the silver linings. "I spoke to a family this morning on Skype and they said, 'You know, our kids are all together for the first time in months and they're playing games together and they're laughing together and we're spending time together.' So there are silver linings, you just have to look for them."

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Anxiety and Coping With the Coronavirus - Child Mind Institute

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Tips to help parents cope with anxiety during coronavirus.

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Supporting Young People with ADHD during the Coronavirus Crisis

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Supporting Young People with ADHD during the Coronavirus Crisis

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Support for Kids With ADHD During the Pandemic - Child Mind Institute

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Kids with ADHD may need extra structure and support to manage attention and behavior challenges and keep on track with learning in this challenging situation. Here are tips for helping them stay focused and manage impulsivity.

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Supporting Children during the Coronavirus Crisis

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Supporting Children during the Coronavirus Crisis

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As the coronavirus crisis continues, parents everywhere are struggling to keep children healthy and occupied. If you're anxious about how to protect and nurture your kids through this - often juggling work obligations at the same time - you're in good (virtual) company.

Here are tips from the Child Mind Institute's clinicians to help calm fears, manage stress and keep the peace.

The experts all agree that setting and sticking to a regular schedule is key, even when you're all at home all day. But as the crisis continues and the days get warmer (and longer, sigh) that schedule will naturally become a bit looser. Still, keeping some structure is important. Whenever possible, try to make sure kids still have some structure - for example, getting up, eating and going to bed around the same time every day. Consistency and structure are calming during times of stress. Kids, especially younger ones or those who are anxious, benefit from knowing what's going to happen and when.

The schedule can mimic a school or day camp schedule, changing activities at predictable intervals and alternating periods of study and play.

It may help to print out a schedule and go over it as a family each morning. Setting a timer will help kids know when activities are about to begin or end. Having regular reminders will help head off meltdowns when it's time to transition from one thing to the next.

Incorporate new activities into your routine, like doing a puzzle or having family game time in the evening. For example, my family is baking our way through a favorite dessert cookbook together with my daughter as sous chef.

Build in activities that help everyone get some exercise, safely, especially now that some restrictions are being relaxed. For example, going to the park without contact with other kids or things touched by other kids, like playground equipment. Take a daily family walk or bike ride or do yoga - great ways to let kids burn off energy and make sure everyone is staying active.

David Anderson, PhD, a clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute, recommends brainstorming ways to go "back to the 80s," before the time of screen prevalence. "I've been asking parents to think about their favorite activities at summer camp or at home before screens," he says. "They often then generate lists of arts and crafts activities, science projects, imaginary games, musical activities, board games, household projects, etc."

It's completely understandable to be anxious right now (how could we not be?) but how we manage that anxiety has a big impact on our kids. Keeping your worries in check will help your whole family navigate this uncertain situation as easily as possible.

"Watch out for catastrophic thinking," says Mark Reinecke, PhD, a clinical psychologist. For example, assuming every cough is a sign you've been infected, or reading news stories that dwell on worst-case scenarios. "Keep a sense of perspective, engage in solution-focused thinking and balance this with mindful acceptance."

For those moments when you do catch yourself feeling anxious, try to avoid talking about your concerns within earshot of children. If you're feeling overwhelmed, step away and take a break. That could look like taking a shower or going outside or into another room and taking a few deep breaths.

Staying informed is important, but it's a good idea to limit consumption of news and social media that has the potential to feed your anxiety, and that of your kids. Turn the TV off and mute or unfollow friends or co-workers who are prone to sharing panic-inducing posts.

Take a social media hiatus or make a point of following accounts that share content that take your mind off the crisis, whether it's about nature, art, baking or crafts.

Keep your support network strong, even when you're only able to call or text friends and family. Socializing plays an important role in regulating your mood and helping you stay grounded. And the same is true for your children.

Let kids use social media (within reason) and Skype or FaceTime to stay connected to peers even if they aren't usually allowed to do so. Communication can help kids feel less alone and mitigate some of the stress that comes from being away from friends.

Technology can also help younger kids feel closer to relatives or friends they can't see at the moment. My parents video chat with their granddaughter every night and read her a (digital) bedtime story. It's not perfect, but it helps us all feel closer and less stressed.

In the face of events that are scary and largely out of our control, it's important to be proactive about what you can control. Making plans helps you visualize the near future. How can your kids have virtual play dates? What can your family do that would be fun outside? What are favorite foods you can cook during this time? If your area is starting to reopen, you could come up with safe ideas for family activities, like getting take-out from your favorite restaurant or going on a socially distant bike ride with friends. Seeing you problem-solve in response to this crisis can be instructive and reassuring for kids.

Even better, assign kids tasks, like picking the restaurant you're going to order from, that will help them feel that they are part of the plan and making a valuable contribution to the family.

"Talking to children in a clear, reasonable way about what's going on is the best way to help them understand," says Rachel Busman, PsyD, a clinical psychologist. "But remember kids don't need to know every little thing." Unless kids ask specifically, there's no reason to volunteer information that might worry them.

For example, our two-year-old daughter Alice is used to seeing her grandparents regularly, but right now we're keeping our distance to make sure everyone stays safe. When she asks about them we say: "We won't see Grandma and Grandpa this week but we will see them soon!" We don't say: "We're staying away from Grandma and Grandpa because we could get them sick." Older kids can handle - and expect - more detail, but you should still be thoughtful about what kinds of information you share with them.

Young children may be oblivious to the facts of the situation, but they may still feel unsettled by the changes in routine, or pick up on the fact that people around them are worried and upset. Plan to check in with younger children periodically and give them the chance to process any worries they may be having. Children who are tantruming more than usual, being defiant or acting out may actually be feeling anxious. Pick a calm, undistracted time and gently ask how they're feeling and make sure to respond to outbursts in a calm, consistent, comforting way.

Remember to be reasonable and kind to yourself. We all want to be our best parenting selves as much as we can, but sometimes that best self is the one that says, "Go for it" when a kid asks for more time on the iPad. My daughter is watching Elmo's World - and possibly drawing on the wall - as I write this. That shrill red Muppet is the only reason I'm able to write at all.

"We should forgive ourselves the image of perfection that we normally aspire to as parents," says Dr. Anderson, a parent himself. This is not a normal time, and trying to hold ourselves to pre-COVID standards is likely to backfire. "We can give ourselves license to relax these boundaries a bit. We can explain to our kids that this is a unique situation and re-institute boundaries once more when life returns to normal." Whatever that normal may be.

If you have a partner at home, agree that you'll trade off when it comes to childcare, especially if one or both of you are working from home and have younger children. That way everyone gets a break and some breathing room.

Everyone who can pitch in, should. Give kids age appropriate jobs. For example, teens might be able to help mind younger siblings when both parents have to work. Most children can set the table, help keep communal spaces clean, do dishes or take out the trash. Even toddlers can learn to pick up their own toys. Working as a team will help your whole family stay busy and make sure no one person (Mom) is overwhelmed.

"Be creative and be flexible," says Dr. Busman, "and try not to be hard on yourself. You have to find a balance that works for your family. The goal should be to stay sane and stay safe."
Did you know the Child Mind Institute is offering telehealth services? Learn more about Telehealth.

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Supporting Kids During the Coronavirus Crisis - Child Mind Institute

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As the coronavirus crisis continues, parents everywhere are struggling to keep children healthy and occupied. If you're anxious about how to protect and nurture your kids through this - often juggling work obligations at the same time - you're in good (virtual) company.

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It's a trying time to be the parent of a teenager. After months of being cooped up at home away from friends, unable to attend school or go out, most kids are chomping at the bit to get back to the lives they had before the pandemic. Getting teens to take safety seriously is a struggle at the best of times, and as the nation moves towards reopening, it's never been more important to ensure kids are following the rules.

How can parents respect their teens' needs while still helping them (and everyone else) stay safe? Even if reopening hasn't started in your area, it's never too early to start talking about what your family's approach will be. Discussing what's coming can help teenagers feel more prepared and increase the odds of smart, safe behavior when the time comes.

"The first thing is always to try to understand where your teen is coming from," says Lindsey Giller, PsyD, a clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute. To adults, teenage worries ("I'd look stupid in a mask!") or priorities ("I need to go to the park with my friends on Saturday.") can seem a little ridiculous. But taking them seriously is key to establishing open lines of communication.

"Don't dismiss their concerns, even if they seem trivial to you," says Dr. Giller. "Their friends are their lives, and that's where their social development is supposed to be right now. Being 16 or 17 and not being able to see your friends or boyfriend or girlfriend for two months is a big deal."

Instead of handing down mandates (which, let's be real, teens aren't likely to follow), having a clear sense of what they want and need will make it easier to come up with rules that they can reasonably follow.

"It's not fair!" is a sentiment we're all familiar with. Most of us have felt it more than once since this started. But few feel it more exquisitely than teenagers, whose lives have been disrupted right when establishing their own identities and pushing for independence are most important.

Teenagers are likely to feel the unfairness deeply, says Lindsay Macchia, PhD, a clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute: It's unfair that this happened at all, that it's still happening after months of quarantine, and that, even though they're not the people most at risk, they can't just go back to doing things the way they used to.

The more you validate your teen's feelings, Dr. Macchia says, the more you give them space to be open and expressive. In this case, you can explicitly agree with them. You might say: "You're totally right. It is unfair. I feel it too. It's boring and it sucks. But it's what we need to do to keep everyone safe."

That validation, adds Dr. Giller, "can get them to a place where they're more accepting of whatever you say next."

The quarantine has been a long slog. So long, in fact, that it can be hard to remember that it's really only been two months. "Those two months can feel like forever, especially in the minds of teens," says Dr. Giller. "But you can remind them that it really isn't forever." It might not be over soon, but it's not going to last the rest of their lives. Helping your teen remember that the restrictions really are temporary can make it easier for them to follow rules in the meantime.

Having seen the impact of the pandemic, we know how important it is to take precautions and we want our children to take them seriously, too. So it can be upsetting when the response to your urging safety is a deadpan "Okay, Mom" (without looking up from the phone) or the dreaded "Uh-huh." It's tempting to want to keep explaining until they seem to get it, or to "scare" them into compliance, but that can backfire.

"It's not so much what you say as how you say it," explains Dr. Macchia. Teenagers, she explains, are likely to push back against lecturing or overanxious behavior. Avoid catastrophizing, or focusing on worst-case scenarios, to make an impact. Saying something like, "If you don't take this seriously people will die " can just make your teen more likely to brush you off.

Instead, focus on being transparent and grounded with them, says Dr. Macchia. Emphasize that this affects everyone, that they have their role to play, and that you have faith that they're up to the challenge.

If teens are skeptical about the risks posed by the coronavirus, don't hesitate to turn to trusted, fact-based sources like the CDC, the World Health Organization, or NPR. You could even arrange a call with your doctor or your child's pediatrician, if they have a good relationship. "Enlisting others to say, 'This is real, this isn't just parental worry,' can help," says Dr. Macchia.

Teens may also be reading or hearing information that runs counter to what the scientific community is saying. To head off misinformation, ask your teenager about what they're reading and help them make sure information is coming from a trustworthy source.

If your child hasn't been personally impacted by the virus, it may seem abstract, unreal and unlikely to affect them. They also know that fewer young people have gotten seriously ill, which can make it seem even less relevant to their lives.

Help teens make the connection by citing the danger for older family and friends. You can also emphasize that what we do now can have a big impact on what our lives look like down the road. If we don't all use caution as we open up, we might end up with more outbreaks, which means more lockdowns and more disruptions in things like school, college and being able to see friends. The point is to help teens see that your fears aren't far-fetched, and that social distancing is important in ways that do affect them directly.

Sooner or later, your teens will be going out and seeing their friends, one way or another. "Parents really want to be able to trust their teens," says Dr. Macchia. "and teens want to get some of their freedom back."

When they do got out, Dr. Macchia recommends tying independence to compliance with safety measures. The more willing they are to take seriously safety precautions like distancing, wearing a mask or socializing only outdoors, the more freedom they'll be able to have. Work together to brainstorm ways they can safely hang out with friends. For example:

Measure 6 feet of distance and practice staying that far apart. ("It's farther than you think!" says Dr. Giller.)

Make a list of outdoor places where your teen could safely meet with friends, like a nearby park (if it's not too crowded), the beach or even the back yard for a socially distant picnic.

Make or buy cool-looking masks your teen is more likely to actually wear. You could even suggest they get matching ones for their friends.

For even the most cooperative teens, challenges will come up. They may have friends who aren't (or whose families aren't) taking safety practices seriously. One way to prepare kids to stick to your plan is to emphasize your family's values - and acknowledge that not everyone shares them. "Just like you would with a kid whose friends are engaging in other dangerous behaviors, like substance use, you want to validate how hard this is for your child to navigate," says Dr. Macchia.

It can also be helpful to give your child practice dealing with difficult situations before they come up. Dr. Giller recommends being open with your teen about the fact that some of their friends might not follow the rules - and might pressure your teen to do the same. You might ask: What would you do in that situation? What are a few things you could say to your friend? "They can start to consider how they would stay true to their values even if there's this new element of peer pressure or fitting in," says Dr. Giller. Failing that, you can also offer yourself up as a catch-all excuse to deflect peer pressure: "I can't. My mom is really strict." Whatever strategy you use, preparation will make it easier for kids to find their voice when an awkward moment arises.

Teenagers lie. It's annoying at best, dangerous at worst, and definitely something parents are concerned about, especially now. It's never been more vital for kids to tell the truth about what they're doing - and to be honest if they've made a mistake, so that you can be sure the rest of the family (especially older or more vulnerable relatives) stay safe.

"When kids are lying, they're often just trying to escape the consequences," notes Dr. Macchia. Parents, she suggests, can head this off by offering kids a kind of get-out-of-jail-free card for mistakes.

Make an agreement that if they'll be totally truthful, you'll put any kind of punishment or lecturing to the side. "What's most important is that they tell you if they've slipped up and potentially been exposed," Dr. Macchia says. Help your teenager understand that these are extraordinary circumstances, and that the consequences of lying could be much more serious than getting yelled at or grounded.

Above all, remind your teen (and yourself!) that though we're in the middle of a very difficult time, this crisis, like so many others, will pass. We're all on the same team and what we do now will decide what happens next.

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Teenagers and Reopening - Child Mind Institute

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Getting teens to take safety seriously is a struggle at the best of times, and it's never been more important to ensure kids are following the rules.

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Louise Clarke, Parenting in the Thick of it, regular inputs on all sorts of subjects from behaviour, anxiety, supporting your child with ADHD or managing teens and technology.

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Parenting in the Thick of It - YouTube Channel

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Parenting in the Thick of It - YouTube Channel

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Going for a walk is a safe thing to do...Social Story

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Going for a walk is a safe thing to do...Social Story

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A Booklet that can be filled in by pupils to give themselves something to look back on in the future

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The Scottish Government has created a Parent Club Covid 19 Communications Toolkit to help support parents and provide clear guidance during these unprecedented times. The toolkit will be updated on an ongoing basis.

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While we're now in a new phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, it's still very important to follow simple measures to help on protect yourself, your family and others. We're here to help, with tips, information and advice.

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While we're now in a new phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, it's still very important to follow simple measures to help on protect yourself, your family and others. We're here to help, with tips, information and advice.

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A Visual Timetable template to help with blended learning

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A Visual Timetable template to help with blended learning

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About my feelings...a resource that can help pupils express how they are feeling and plan their own strategies 

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About my feelings...a resource that can help pupils express how they are feeling and plan their own strategies 

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A Social Story explaining a class 'BUBBLE'

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A Social Story explaining a class 'BUBBLE'

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Download the trial version and register using GLOW details for free access to this powerful software for any pupil at Kemnay Academy.

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Read&Write For Education - Reading, Literacy & Assistive Software

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Discover the literacy support software that’s helping millions of students across the UK to read, write and express themselves independently.

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Aberdeenshire Educational Psychology Service Info for Parents & Carers

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Aberdeenshire Educational Psychology Service Info for Parents & Carers