The Coronavirus (COVID-19) has officially changed our lives. Between weeks-long school closures, social distancing, quarantining, working from home, home schooling, binge food buying and a never ending quest for toilet paper, this feels overwhelming.
This situation is certainly unprecedented and we are all taking things one day at a time. Our hope for our community is that we support one another, even from a distance, take the recommendations from our leaders seriously and stay positive.
The following resources have been shared with us and we thought it would be helpful to provide them to you as well. As the situation continues to evolve, new resources will be introduced. We welcome your comments to provide our community with additional resources and will update this article on an ongoing basis.
For up-to-date information, you can follow us on Facebook, Twitter (most up-to-date) and Instagram.
Wishing everyone good health over this challenging time.
This situation is certainly unprecedented and we are all taking things one day at a time. Our hope for our community is that we support one another, even from a distance, take the recommendations from our leaders seriously and stay positive.
The following resources have been shared with us and we thought it would be helpful to provide them to you as well. As the situation continues to evolve, new resources will be introduced. We welcome your comments to provide our community with additional resources and will update this article on an ongoing basis.
For up-to-date information, you can follow us on Facebook, Twitter (most up-to-date) and Instagram.
Wishing everyone good health over this challenging time.
Governmental Resources
- CDC Centers for Disease Control & Prevention Coronavirus Page
- NY Governor Cuomo & Latest Case Numbers in NY
- Westchester County Coronavirus Page
- Check also your local town and school district websites as well for additional information
Local News
- Lohud is making local coronavirus coverage free to read
- News 12 Westchester
Childcare
- The Childcare Council of Westchester is available to help parents find temporary child care, and all services for parents are free. Even if your school district or child care provider is not closed, the Council is urging parents to act now to prepare alternate arrangements, which may include things like a patchwork of care with family/friends and/or splitting child care duties with neighbors; hiring a nanny (do your due diligence as they are not covered under any regulations or oversight); or calling the Council for a list of OCFS-regulated child care programs/providers who may be willing to offer temporary care. Contact the Council at 914-761-3456 x140 and leave a message. Your call will be returned. NOTE: If your child or a family member is sick or has any possible exposure to #coronavirus, do not bring them to another child care provider until you receive proper guidance from the Department of Health.
Education
- WhizKidz Distance Learning & Virtual Tutoring sessions can help bridge the gap to ensure that your child doesn’t slide backwards in learning while out of school -- and that you don’t lose your sanity!Their tutors are available daily with flexible virtual-teaching schedules to meet the needs of at-home students and working-parents alike. Phone: (914) 200-3512.
- Check your local library for free online resources and tutoring services. Due to the coronavirus, most libraries are closed, view the list of library closures on the WLS website. Please hold onto any library materials that are due; most libraries are forgiving fines during this period.
- New York Times: Home Schooling Tweens and Teens During Coronavirus Closings
- Check with your school for access to online learning resources.
- Distance Learning
- The best educational apps for kids to game during coronavirus
- Coronavirus closed schools. Here are online education classes for every age and grade
- 36 Free Educational Websites Parents Can Access While Schools Are Closed
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Free Online Learning Links:
- ST MATH: www.stmath.com
- SCHOLASTIC: classroommagazines.scholastic.com
- EDUCATION.COM: www.education.com
- FUNBRAIN: www.funbrain.com
- BRAIN POP: www.brainpop.com
- DUO LINGO: www.duolingo.com
- PRODIGY: www.prodigygame.com
- MATH PLAYGROUND: www.mathplayground.com
- PBS KIDS: pbskids.org
- SPLASH LEARN: www.splashlearn.com
- MATH GAME TIME: www.mathgametime.com
- KHAN ACADEMY: www.khanacademy.org
- DISCOVER MINDBLOWN: www.discoverymindblown.com
- NASA KIDS’ CLUB: www.nasa.gov
- AMAZING SPACE: amazing-space.stsci.edu
- CODE ACADEMY: www.codecademy.com
- CRASH COURSE ON YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com
- WHO WAS? www.whowasbookseries.com
- NAT GEO KIDS: kids.nationalgeographic.com
- TIME 4 KIDS: www.timeforkids.com
- SMITHSONIAN FOR KIDS: www.si.edu
- HELLO KIDS: www.hellokids.com
- VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS: virtual field trips
Health
- Letter to Parents & Guardians (from NYSDOH, NYSED)
- Be aware of false information circulating on the internet. Accurate and up-to-date information is available from the State Health Department at www.health.ny.gov/coronavirus or its hotline at 1-888-364-3065, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's website and social media platforms at www.cdc.gov/COVID19
- How can I be tested for COVID-19? Upon a physician's order, New York State processes tests for COVID-19 at its state laboratory and has partnered with public and private labs to expand testing availability. In addition, New York's first drive-through COVID-19 mobile testing center is operational in New Rochelle. The mobile testing center is prioritizing tests for individuals that are part of the highest risk population. New Rochelle residents who would like to be tested can make an appointment by calling 888-364-3065.
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Hotline Phone Numbers:
- People under self-quarantine or exposure to known case, call (866) 588-0195
- NYS Department of Health COVID-19 Hotline (888) 364-3065
- Westchester County COVID-19 Information Call 211
- American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations
- Hospitals in Westchester County
- The Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline
- Talking to Children about Social Distancing
- Is the Playground Safe from the Coronavirus?
- Self-Quarantine? Isolation? Social Distancing? What They Mean And When To Do Them
Articles about Speaking to Your Children & Emotional Support
- PBS for Parents: How to Talk to your Kids about Coronavirus
- NPR: Just for Kids: A Comic Exploring the New Coronavirus
- NASP: Talking to Kids About Covid-19 - A Parent Resource
- Child Mind Institute: Talking to Kids about the Coronavirus
- UNICEF: How to talk to your child about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
- SAMHSA: Coping with Stress During Infectious Disease Outbreaks
- AFSP: Protecting Your Mental Health During Corona Virusa
- SAMHSA: Talking With Children: Tips for Caregivers, Parents, and Teachers During
Infectious Disease Outbreaks - NBC News: How to talk to your kids (and ease their fears)
- New York Times: How to Talk to Kids About Coronavirus
- New York Times: 5 Ways to Help Teens Manage Anxiety About the Coronavirus
- Easter Seals: Coronavirus Social Story to use to explain the Coronavirus and school closures to children with Autism
- Understood.org: How to Talk About Coronavirus with Kids
Closing Thoughts
I saw this post come through on Facebook from a friend and though this positive perspective was worth sharing...
“There is so much fear, and perhaps rightfully so, about COVID-19.
And, what if...
If we subscribe to the philosophy that life is always working out for us, that there is an intelligence far greater than humans at work...
That all is interconnected.
What if...
the virus is here to help us?
To reset.
To remember.
What is truly important.
Reconnecting with family and community.
Reducing travel so that the environment, the skies, the air, our lungs all get a break.
Parts of China are seeing blue sky and clouds for the first time in forever with the factories being shut down.
Working from home rather than commuting to work (less pollution, more personal time).
Reconnecting with family as there is more time at home.
An invitation to turn inwards -- a deep meditation -- rather than the usual extroverted going out to self-soothe.
To reconnect with self -- what is really important to me?
A reset economically.
The working poor. The lack of healthcare access for over 30 million in the US. The need for paid sick leave.
How hard does one need to work to be able to live, to have a life outside of work?
And, washing our hands -- how did that become a "new" thing that we needed to remember. But, yes, we did.
The presence of Grace for all.
There is a shift underway in our society -- what if it is one that is favorable for us?
What if this virus is an ally in our evolution?
In our remembrance of what it means to be connected, humane, living a simpler life, to be less impactful/ more kind to our environment.
An offering from my heart this morning. Offered as another perspective. Another way of relating to this virus, this unfolding, this evolution.
It was time for a change, we all knew that.
And, change has arrived.
What if...
- Gutpreet Gill”
And, what if...
If we subscribe to the philosophy that life is always working out for us, that there is an intelligence far greater than humans at work...
That all is interconnected.
What if...
the virus is here to help us?
To reset.
To remember.
What is truly important.
Reconnecting with family and community.
Reducing travel so that the environment, the skies, the air, our lungs all get a break.
Parts of China are seeing blue sky and clouds for the first time in forever with the factories being shut down.
Working from home rather than commuting to work (less pollution, more personal time).
Reconnecting with family as there is more time at home.
An invitation to turn inwards -- a deep meditation -- rather than the usual extroverted going out to self-soothe.
To reconnect with self -- what is really important to me?
A reset economically.
The working poor. The lack of healthcare access for over 30 million in the US. The need for paid sick leave.
How hard does one need to work to be able to live, to have a life outside of work?
And, washing our hands -- how did that become a "new" thing that we needed to remember. But, yes, we did.
The presence of Grace for all.
There is a shift underway in our society -- what if it is one that is favorable for us?
What if this virus is an ally in our evolution?
In our remembrance of what it means to be connected, humane, living a simpler life, to be less impactful/ more kind to our environment.
An offering from my heart this morning. Offered as another perspective. Another way of relating to this virus, this unfolding, this evolution.
It was time for a change, we all knew that.
And, change has arrived.
What if...
- Gutpreet Gill”
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