Parenting
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Children
An African American girl boards a bus on the way to school. Photo by seanlockephotography/stock.adobe.com
Make Sure Your Children Are Ready for Back to School
Tips to prepare them mentally, socially and physically
As parents and caregivers prepare for their children to return to the classroom, full-time – many for the first time since the pandemic started – we can expect things to be difficult, at least initially.

How will our children deal with any social or physical limitations? Will the isolation many felt during the pandemic be wiped away or will it carry into the classroom? How will so much time spent trying to learn in front of a computer be helpful or hurtful when they face teachers in person? If anxiety is normal during a typical back-to-school period, then the stress levels will likely be even higher during these extraordinary times. Here are tips to get them ready for the return.
A Hispanic and Black student busy themselves with homework at Centro Campesino. Photo by The Children's Trust
Back to After-School!
Trust-funded providers offer academic, social and sports programming
Have you thought about what school is going to be like when kids return to in-person schooling at the end of summer? (We hope so!) Then you know you’ll also have to plan for what they are doing after school. Luckily, The Children’s Trust supports after-school providers throughout the county and offers a wide array of options.

Much of Miami-Dade County’s population depends on after-school programs to provide safe haven, learning and social growth for youth. Last year, more than 330 after-school providers offered programming and the number is expected to be even higher this year.
Book of the Month: Lena’s Shoes Are Nervous: A First-Day-of-School Dilemma
Written by Keith Calabrese
Our children have been through the most disruptive 18 months imaginable and now as they go back to school in-person, they will have to make even more adjustments. In Lena’s Shoes Are Nervous: A First-Day-of-School Dilemma, children readers will see that going to school doesn’t have to be scary and confusing. With support and communication, parents and caregivers can build excitement for the first day of school and convince their children that not only will everything be alright, but a new life adventure will start.

Author Keith Calabrese tackles the tricky subject of back-to-school in an imaginative and fun way with clothes and accessories taking on human personalities to show how to overcome fear and anxiety. For more helpful ways for your kids to learn about going back to school, or going for the first time, check out the rest of Miami-Dade Library System’s monthly Staff Picks below.
Kids enjoy themselves in a bounce house at The Children's Trust Family Expo. Photo by Gregory Reed
The Trust’s Family Expo is Back, and It Multiplied!
Annual event returns but with new outreach event format
Among the endless cancellations and suspensions that fell victim to the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 was The Children’s Trust annual Family Expo. Just when the community could have most used the resources, information and, let’s face it, fun, of the Family Expo it was taken away from us like so much else due to social distancing and safety protocols.

But if ever there was an event to signal the return to our former lives (or at least an approximation to them!), it is the Family Expo and The Children’s Trust is proud to announce its return. And to make sure this year’s event gets to the people who most need it, four separate Pop-Up style expos will be held throughout Miami-Dade County. These individual expos won’t be as large as previous family expos, but they all come with the same level of excitement, fun and resources custom-tailored to the neighborhoods they are reaching.
Friends greet each other during a play date. Photo by Monkey Business/stock.adobe.com
Playdates Primer as COVID Winds Down (Hopefully!)
Getting your kids to be social again, safely
Now that vaccines are available for kids 12 and up (and hopefully for kids from 2-11, end of summer?), parents will likely be trying to get them on playdates, if they haven’t already.

As many vaccinated souls now ditch the masks to hit the malls, baseball bleachers and beaches, they’re also letting their guard down in terms of protecting their unvaccinated children. But remember to play it safe and (still!) follow the latest CDC guidelines, which recommend that unvaccinated people older than 2 wear masks indoors and in crowded outdoor settings and maintain physical distance and hand hygiene. And always follow your conscience on the most responsible playdate choices for your family, mindful of any special health considerations.
Parent Resources
Looking for an after-school program for your child? The Children's Trust funds different programs that stress engaging, active and educational programs.
The new, improved and expanded Children’s Trust Book Club offers free, monthly books by mail for children from 0-5 living in Miami-Dade.
The Children’s Trust Parent Club offers FREE, countywide workshops on relevant topics about raising children that are successful, healthy, and happy. 
Helpful Links for Coronavirus Related Information
Miami-Dade County’s Coronavirus page on where and how to sign up to get COVID-19 Vaccine:
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has a special web page with Coronavirus information,
updates and tips.

Florida Department of Health’s Coronavirus page.
The Miami-Dade School Board also has a Coronavirus page, as well as a Parent Guide to the Novel Coronavirus.
Elderly Assistance

To learn more visit www.TheChildrensTrust.org or call 211.
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