From the play room to a Zoom room Parents face changes as Child Development Center moves online Social but distant Maintaining friendships

BY SEBASTIAN GONTES

As people follow social distancing guidelines, they are finding ways to connect with one another.

One example is Ruben Olivares who keeps in touch with his friends by video game voice chats.

“The way I stay in contact is mostly through online gaming where we can chat while playing,” Olivares said. “My friends do help me distract me but at the beginning all we would talk mostly about is going on lockdown and how different life would be.”

Kimberly Urrutia has been very careful as she has been taking as many precautions as possible.

BY TRISHA ANAS

Pre-pandemic, the Pierce College Child Development Center (CDC) was bustling each weekday with children engaged in play and learning while parents work toward completing their education. The campus has been closed all fall, but the children and their parents still can participate in group activities. The CDC has partnered with the Pierce Nursing Department and are providing a variety of virtual sessions for students with children.

CDC Director Melissa Brisbois said in a phone interview that the teachers at the center set up Zoom meetings every week with small groups of about three-to-six children. This depends on the parents and what the interests of the children are.

“It’s just a little bit different than a regular elementary school, so we have flexibility,” Brisbois said. “A lot of the families have to juggle their own work schedule, their own class schedule, their children’s elementary school’s class schedule, and our Zoom. So, we try to be very flexible and give parents different options.”

Another service the center offers are large group meetings that involve everyone participating in the center’s services. The group meetings, which occur three times a week, feature stories, music and group movement activities.

The center also has a private YouTube channel where parents and their children can view interactive videos.

Talia Penaloza, one of the parents using the CDC’s services, said in a Zoom interview that the online sessions have been helpful in restoring some normalcy for the families.

“I feel like this whole quarantine lifestyle has, at first, made it very hard to communicate with anybody,” Penaloza said. “I know especially the children had a hard time communicating, but the virtual Zoom meetings we’ve been doing have really helped set some normalcy. To meet and communicate with people really makes us feel less alone.”

Penaloza said that her daughter has been attending both the oneon-one sessions as well as the group sessions with the school. Penaloza also said that although she prefers her daughter be at school in-person and interacting with others under normal circumstances, safety is a priority.

“If there was no COVID and if it wasn’t deadly and hurtful, I recommend her to go to school because it’s not actual interaction and