THINKING ORGANIZEDThe COVID-19 pandemic drastically altered our lives. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the student population, who have engaged in virtual learning for almost a year. With the rollout of vaccines and increased public health measures, though, many students are preparing to return to the physical classroom. However, this shift comes with various changes to both home and school routines, as children and parents must adjust to this new situation after a year of developing and revising habits to make virtual learning go as smoothly as possible. Adapting to changes is challenging for everyone, but particularly so for elementary school students with executive functioning weaknesses, as they often find it difficult to manage new transitions. Some routines will need to be re-established, like packing their backpack, while others involve new elements, like remembering their face mask and hand sanitizer. While we expect the adjustment to take time, you can support your elementary school child’s executive functioning skills by identifying new or difficult routines and providing opportunities for practice.
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