LAST-MINUTE SHOPPING – With the opening of school year 2023-2024 just two days away, a mother and her children shop for school uniforms at the Commonwealth Public Market in Quezon City on Saturday, Aug. 26, 2023. (Mark Balmores)
 

Jitters or “feelings of extreme nervousness,” hang in the air as all public schools around the country open for schoolyear 2023-24 on Tuesday, Aug. 29, following the opening of all private schools weeks ago.

That is a major step in getting back to normal as we knew it before Covid was declared a global health emergency in March 2020. 

But instead of children feeling the usual school opening jitters, parents now are vocal to say they are feeling it, with a list of things-to-worry about coming from the anxieties brought on by the pandemic.

Simply put, parents are feeling anxious over sending their children to interact with people, away from their supervision.

Denice Sy, chief sales and marketing officer of Ever Bilena, who has a four-year-old son, is worried that her child might not be able to do things on his own. “Would he eat his baon (lunch box) by himself or use the restroom without me or his nanny? Would he know where he leaves or stores his things or picks up after himself?”

Dr. Jack Herrin, developmental and behavioral pediatrician at Cardinal Santos Medical Center and St. Luke’s Global City, in an interview with Manila Bulletin, suggested that parents create scenarios at home to prepare their children for school.  One scenario would be to let the child practice eating from what would be his or her lunch box, which will include some tips on how to unpack then pack them – all within an allotted time to simulate the recess period.

Denice, whose son started limited face-to-face classes last year,  remembers how she was pleasantly surprised to find out that he was coping well in school. “At home, he would wait for me to finish washing my hands. He’d tell me to line up, like in school, where they take turns in washing their hands. I also asked how his bathroom breaks were, and he told me that his teacher accompanies him.”

Many parents still worry about Covid. Even if the World Health Organization had declared an end to COVID-19 as a global health emergency in May 2023, it does not mean that the virus has gone away.  All parents are concerned that the presence of the virus can still infect their children who may forget to follow the health protocols of mask, handwashing, and social distancing.

“I worry that my children will forget to wear masks especially if other children do not wear them anymore.  I have instructed them to wear masks everywhere except when eating. I also trained them to be very mindful of eating only the food they bring. I told them to avoid having lunch with their classmates because then they will not be wearing masks in front of other people,” Jac C. Zapatos, a mother of two children, aged 13 and 9, said.

Another item in the jitters list is separation anxiety, which is especially experienced by parents of children who will only be starting regular face-to-face school on Tuesday, Aug. 29.

Meanwhile, Jac said that that she worries about her 13-year-old son’s ability to interact with other kids in school.  Her son is shy and has spent much time online to interact with people during the pandemic. But two weeks into school and her son has adapted to the new environment quite well and displays responsible behavior in taking care of his sister who is enrolled in the same school.

Dr. Herrin, who also works at a school clinic, observed that “many kids are going to the infirmary now, because they don’t know how to handle scenarios such as when a friend makes fun of them.” Most of them do not know how to react, eventually they end up biting or hitting their classmates, he said.

To allow more interaction with their new friends, Dr. Herrin suggested that parents can also organize playdates with their children’s friends. “Not free play where they won’t get to interact and talk. Do something that is intimate enough that they do not run away, but chill enough to interact. Have lunch somewhere and make them sit together, preferably with no gadgets so they can continue their conversations.”

Many parents, especially the ones who are also working, worry about the added tasks of monitoring their children’s school activities to add to their jobs’ many tasks.

Sarabeth S. Soriano, who has three children, aged 11, 9, and 3, who’s coming from a summer of “no school work to think about, nothing to check, no quizzes to remind the kids,” said she will now have to check on her children’s activities. Ms. Soriano holds two positions: vice president of operations of Baliwag Lechon Manok and general manager of Turtles KTV. She said she will have to get used to the school schedules of her three children, while taking care of the house, and her own workload, too!

One thing the parents we interviewed agreed on: it is time to be more firm in following sleeping time which was not defined during the years of remote learning.

“Everyone has to switch back to sleeping earlier again. We all have to wake up and leave the house earlier to get to class on time. A proper sleep schedule is critical in contributing to mental sharpness and emotional well-being,” said Dr. Herrin.

On handling bullies, Jac, mother of two, said: “My husband and I realized the value of socialization.  They have to interact with other children.  They have to learn how to handle problems without us, like how to deal with a school bully.”

Since her children started school weeks ago, she said her 9-year-old daughter has brought home stories about a bully-classmate.  “I told him to stop getting my pencil but he said he needs it to do his homework at home.  I also told him that if he does not stop hitting me, I will tell teacher.”

Stories from school will surely occupy conversations in thousands of homes after all schools open on Aug. 29. 

Going to school, interacting with classmates and teachers, getting high grades or even failing marks—each moment contributes to the character of the future generation.