‘Base decisions on facts, not fear’: Psychiatrist on back to school

As parents get their kids ready to go back to school for the first time since the spring, there seems to be more anxiety than usual.

Psychiatrist Dr. Marcia Sirota tells 650 CKOM increased anxiety is common as people try to navigate COVID-19.

“The most important thing is we have to get the facts. We have to look at the reliable sources of the facts — which is our local public health officials,” she explains. “We have to base our decisions on the facts because if we base it on our fears or denial we aren’t going to make the right decisions.”

With classes scheduled to resume on Sept. 8 in Saskatchewan, Sirota suggests talking to school-aged kids about what they can expect.

“We have to give our children the facts that they can handle,” she explained.

That includes considering a child’s age, maturity level and general sensitivity.

“We don’t want to give them so much information that they’re overwhelmed but not so little information that they’re confused and go elsewhere (for answers),” she said.

Many schools will require masks for students and staff along with new policies on class set-up.

According to Sirota, kids will be OK — they typically adapt more quickly to changing situations than adults.

“The wonderful thing about young people is that they’re extremely flexible and adaptable and you can teach them to get used to something much more easily than as an adult,” she said.

While this is a strange time, Sirota believes it’s best to try to maintain as much normalcy as possible, while helping prepare kids for the “new normal.”