Who would have imagined a school year so strange as 2019-2020? We are impressed with parents who simultaneously navigated remote learning and remote working while continuing to invest in the lives of their children.  We have seen parents throughout Buncombe County turn their homes into offices, classrooms, and places for worship as Emmanuel Lutheran Church moved to live streaming on digital platforms

Fortunately, as things begin to return to normal slowly, we are excited to have students return to campus for the fall semester. We have developed healthy and safe procedures for in-person learning, a flexible plan should something change, and a thorough communication strategy. 

As we mentioned in a previous article, this is a unique summer for parents and children. You are used to children being in school through May and into early June. Once they are out, the season is often filled with summer camps, sports camps, church camps, Vacation Bible School, and vacations. It often feels like it goes by in a flash. In some ways, this time has been a blessing for those families who are healthy and able to spend more time together.

Many have enjoyed the simpler schedules and sharing breakfast, lunch, and dinner together. However, we recognize that it has been four months since many places were forced to close, and with summer in full swing, some of the places you would typically let your kids blow off steam are closed, such as the pools and playgrounds. 

Summer break is a great time for families to spend time together and explore a wide range of activities. However, you may also find yourself with children at home who are bored. This is a challenge during a typical summer, but how much more difficult is it after we have spent so much time at home. Fortunately, for Asheville area residents, we are within a relatively short drive to hours of entertainment for families and children. As parks and businesses begin to reopen, we want to help you beat summer boredom in the great outdoors with these simple tips. 

Parents you probably have already been wrestling with the “screen-time” struggle with your kids. Remote learning has put children in front of a computer, tablet, and/or phone for more than we would like. However, now they are doing schoolwork and not just playing games. We can see the benefits for screen time, but are we teaching more dependence on these screens? Do we want our children to learn that you must have a screen to survive?