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…And we all thought this year would never end! 2020, the beginning of a new decade and the start of the 21st Century’s “roaring 20’s” had a promising start. Now, a lot of us cannot wait for it to be over.

Did you know that children started writing lists to good ol’ Santa Claus in 1879? For over 140 years, children across the globe would write what they want to receive for Christmas from Santa Claus and their families.

If you are like me, “Culinary Expert” is not apart of your repertoire and just thinking the phrase “Thanksgiving Dinner” makes you anxious. What if I told you that it doesn’t have to be that way? Since this Thanksgiving will be different due to the Pandemic. Instead of feeding 15 people, you might find yourself feeding 4 people or less with close friends and immediate family.

I know what you are probably thinking, how is it November already? Didn’t this year just start? For a year that feels like it has been going on for an eternity, we still always feel that the holidays are constantly creeping up behind us!

2020 is not like any ordinary year. With a historical event that is the COVID-19 Pandemic, there were many things that changed our mindsets on what is to come.

It definitely has not been easy for us, but imagine how children are doing? How are they feeling about all of this? A lot of their events, school activities, sports are postponed or cancelled. With video conferencing becoming the new normal, kids are not having their usual socialization like they did in school.

No one would have predicted last year that this Halloween, we would be in the middle of a pandemic. A lot of vacations, gatherings and concerts have been cancelled and or postponed due to the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).

Caring for a pet is an excellent way for your children to learn responsibility and other important life lessons. Since the pandemic began, the pause has meant paws for many families who took the pet ownership plunge as they found themselves spending unprecedented amounts of time at home. In fact, dog and cat shortages have been reported by many shelters and breeders in recent months. With adults and kids continuing to work or attend school remotely in large numbers, there’s still ample opportunity for many to bring a “pandemic pet” into the home. Here are some of the ways that caring for a pet can help your child grow and develop.

School started several weeks ago and now families across the country may now have an opportunity to reevaluate the distant learning or in-person plan. Some communities are experiencing an uptick in Covid-19 cases while others are not. School buildings are either closing temporarily or going fully remote, where others are just starting a blended/hybrid model.

About 4.4 million children have been diagnosed with anxiety, according to the Centers for Disease Control, and anxiety symptoms have increased since the COVID-19 crisis began. The start of the school year has exacerbated the anxiety level for many, as children are separating from their families for the first time in six months and finding that their school has a markedly different look and feel, with all the masked faces and new social distancing and handwashing routines. Kids may worry (with good reason) about whether it’s safe for them to be at school. Those kids who are attending school virtually may have increased anxiety, as well, as they worry whether life as they knew it will ever return. Here are some ways to help kids cope with anxiety as they adjust to the current normal.

About half (51 percent) of parents reported they were “extremely” or
“very” concerned about sending their children back to school in an
Axios/Ipsos poll last month. As the pandemic continues, parents across
the nation are weighing the benefits of in-person instruction versus the
risk that their child will contract COVID-19 at school and bring it home
to the other members of the household.
While some schools have gone 100 percent virtual for the foreseeable
future, others are offering in-person instruction, either five days a week
or perhaps as an A-day/B-day model, where half the kids come one day
and then have virtual instruction the next, and vice versa. If your school
offers the option of online versus in-person classes, here are some of the
factors to mull over as you make your decision.