5 minute read
New books can help children cope with coronavirus restrictions
Parents are dealing with much stress and uncertainty these days, many working full-time while also home-schooling their children. “Will the schools open soon?” “How can I teach my children when I have to focus on my job?” “Does learning on the computer help or hurt my child’s studies?” Just a few questions that parents whose children cannot yet return to the classrooms at school are asking.
Afew new children’s books have been released which be helpful to parents and children in times like these. They are each written from a child’s perspective, expressing feelings and worries about wearing masks, social distancing, and what it means to be living in times of a pandemic. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) along with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) on its Healthy Children website has been advising for months that children ages two and older wear face coverings if indoors or outside if the cannot stay a distance of six feet or more away from others. Suggestions for parents of infants include carrying a baby in a swaddler or baby backpack when having to multi-task while caring for an infant. With toddlers, AAP suggests setting up “stations” that young children can rotate through to help keep their short attention spans focused. For school-age children, it is recommended to create family routines and a schedule to reduce anxiety and improve behavior.
Advertisement
Books for children that may help them to cope with the various emotions they are feeling about the changes in routines include:
by Chandra Clements This book was written by the author and her four-year-old daughter, Tara. It discusses the impact COVID-19 has had on lives, changes for children and its global impact, and how the child has processed the changes in her world. Tara’s drawings are used in this rhyming book. Tara helps her friends from around the world better understand that staying at home helps protect her grandparents, also. The character of “Rona” proves to be no match for the little people in the story.
¨Lucy’s Mask”
by Lisa Sirkis Thompson In this story, needing to wear a mask turns into playtime as Lucy dons costumes and her imagination soars into make-believe adventures. The book is meant to help parents reassure their children about the changes in life due to the virus and give them comfort. It is meant to help children understand their emotions and make the new reality less frightening. A portion of the proceeds of the sale of this book are being donated to frontline works and first responders.
by Dorothea Laurence This is a story that helps teach children patience. Paula is unhappy that she is no longer able to do the things she loves because of the pandemic. The book uses the analogy of planting a sunflower seed and letting it grow, with the knowledge that eventually something beautiful will come from it. The book is also intended to support parents in helping them explain about social distancing and its importance.
“A Little SPOT Stays Home”
by Diane Alber This is a story about viruses and safe distancing and dedicated to essential workers. It answers for children what a virus is, explaining they are so tiny they can only been seen with a microscope. The author’s intentions were to provide education, gratitude and hope to parents and to help children understand why staying home and keeping socially distant is important right now. Parents will find this story can help children overcome emotions of sadness and anxiety.
Kalahari Resorts & Conventions facility set to open on November 12
ROUND ROCK, Texas -- It’s an interesting thought, to spend Thanksgiving at a waterpark, and that is just what the new “World’s Coolest Indoor Waterpark” in Round Rock is offering as it opens in November after two years of construction. The project was first approved by the Round Rock Planning Commission in March 2018 after the company announced plans in June 2016 that it planned to build a facility in Round Rock.
Set to open on Thursday, November 12, holiday buffets will be offered for Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Eve this year at the new Kalahari Resorts & Conventions facility. Meals will be staged inside the Convention Center, according to information posted on its website. Turkey, prime rib, yams and green bean casserole, plus dessert, are all available. Reservations are required. Costs for the buffet range from $14.99 for children ages four to 12, adult tickets are $49.99 for ages 13 and older, and children ages three and younger are free. Of note is that a 24 percent service charge and sales tax are added.
There are twenty-two different amenities and water rides in 223,000 square feet that make up the vacation destination. It is located at 3001 Kalahari Blvd., across from the Dell Diamond on U.S. Highway 79. The Zambezi outdoor waterpark area features bungalows, basketball pool, swim-up bar, and outdoor waterpark dining. Having indoor amenities allows the facility to be open year-round.
Aside from food, Kalahari is selling passes for the season, with an offer to purchase thirty days in advance and save 25 percent. Kalahari is offering 30 percent off bookings for opening night stays at the hotel. Check-in time is 4 p.m. with check-out the next morning at 11 a.m. Waterpark use is included in the cost of a room.
The owners of Kalahari Resorts & Conventions, Wisconsin residents and high school sweethearts Todd and Shari Nelson, were inspired to create its waterparks based on exposure to the culture of Africa. The brand was created in 2000 and is a family adventure, with their children also involved as owning members. They created the Nelson Family Foundation in 2014. The company gives back to African craftsman and artists, supports the Mandela Poster Project, and partners with Ithateng Mokgoro of Gamatong Foundation via a design competition and exhibition that features winning designs of the competitions in the company’s various resort locations. The Nelsons donate to the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital, Clean the World, and also have an exchange program wherein African college graduates participate in a year-long cultural and work program at each of the resort locations.
Other facilities are in the Pocono Mountain, Pennsylvania; Sandusky, Ohio; and Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. Each facility hosts private events, an arcade, restaurant, piano bar and lounge, Marrakesh Market Eatery inspired by the village shops in Morroco, the Last Bite where baked goods are available, and the Java Manjaro coffee stand. The City of Round Rock has estimated the facility will generate $4.7 million in tax revenue and more than seven hundred jobs for the area.
