Back to school will be quite different for families across the United States and the world this year. There aren’t many answers to be had to our questions, yet we must make decisions with the best information that we have at this time. I speak with Dr Brad Jerson, a Pediatric Psychologist in the Division of Digestive Diseases, Hepatology, and Nutrition at Connecticut Children’s and an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine about how we can prepare our kids, and ourselves, for the school year. We discuss the behaviors we can model for our children, how we can talk to young kids about mask wearing, and how to engage kids of all ages in conversation about their fears and anxieties during this time.

Concepts discussed in this episode:

• A Checklist to Help Parents Decide: Send Kids Back to School or Keep Them Home During COVID-19?
• Is It Safe to Send Your Child Back to School During COVID-19? Advice From Connecticut Children’s Physician-in-Chief
• Ask a Pediatrician: Is It a Good Idea for My Child With Asthma to Go Back to School or Day Care During COVID-19?
• 7 Ways to Introduce Your Child to Wearing a Mask
• Coronavirus and IBD Reporting Database

Find Dr Brad Jerson on Twitter and at Connecticut Children’s.

Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

Credits: Mix and sound design is by Mac Cooney. Theme music, "IBD Dance Party,” is from ©Cooney Studio.