Active Family Magazine | September 2020

SEPTEMBER 2020

ZOOM TIPS FOR SCHOOL Four Ways To Calm Your Mind In Stressful Times

THE ROOKIE’S RV ROAD-TRIP GUIDE

Volume 7 / Issue 79

Zoom Tips for School

[ PARENTING ] Impact: What Transitioning to the “New” Normal Means in Education

16

[ TRAVEL ]

14

How to Travel Safely During the Pandemic

[ HEALTH & WELLNESS ] Four Ways To Calm Your Mind In Stressful Times

Tips for Balancing Remote Work and Full-Time Parenting During COVID-19

18

6

20

20 2 ACTIVE FAMIL Y | SEPTEMBER 2020

20

18

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Local Life & Style for the East Bay Area

Publisher/Editor

Marketing Interns

Contributing Authors

Tracie Brown Vollgraf

Talia Dobrec

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Fashion Editor

Whitney Ignacio Whitney@activefamilymag.com

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Travel Editor

Design/Production

Vacasa.com Stratford Schools Emma Seppala, Ph.D Sheyla Scaffo Katie Hurley, LCSW Elizabeth Kang

Elizabeth Kang ekang@activefamilymag.com

Teresa Agnew Craft

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Editor’s Note Here comes Fall! We hope that you have all acclimated to the “new normal”, especially when it comes to your children’s education! Remember you are not alone as we are struggle to adjust. Be sure to check out our article on page 14 which offers Zoom tips for kids. Still longing to get away for a mini vacay? It is possible! Flip to page 18 and read up on ‘How to Travel Safely During the Pandemic’.

As always, we wish you a happy and healthy month!

Stay Safe!

Tracie Brown Vollgraf Editor info@activefamilymag.com

4 ACTIVE FAMIL Y | SEPTEMBER 2020

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[ HEALTH & WELLNESS ]

Emma Seppälä, Ph.D is Science Director of Stanford University’s Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education and is the author of The Happiness Track (HarperOne, 2016). She is also Co-Director of the Yale College Emotional Intelligence Project at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. She is a frequent contributor to Harvard Business Review, Psychology Today, Huffington Post, and Scientific American Mind. She is the founder and editor-in-chief of Fulfillment Daily, a popular news site dedicated to the science of happiness.

Her work and research have been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, The Boston Globe, The Atlantic, VOGUE, ELLE, CBSNews, Oprah Magazine, Fast Company, U.S. World and News Report, Forbes, Cosmopolitan, Inc, Huffington Post, ABC News, Business Insider, SELF, GLAMOUR. She has appeared several times on Good Morning America. She was also interviewed for Huffington Post Live and TIME/MONEY and is featured in the documentary film The Altruism Revolution.

She is the recipient of a number of research grants and service awards including the James W. Lyons Award from Stanford University for founding Stanford’s first academic class on the psychology of happiness and teaching many well-being programs for Stanford students.

She graduated from Yale (BA), Columbia (MA), and Stanford (PhD). Originally from Paris, France, she is a native speaker of French, English, and German.

Four Ways To Calm Your Mind In Stressful Times

by Emma Seppälä Ph.D. Life throws chaos at us on a regular basis—whether it’s our finances, our relationships, or our health. In the work world, around 50 percent of people are burned out in industries like health care, banking, and nonprofits, and employers spend $300 billion per year on workplace-related stress.

In response, we just keep on pushing through, surviving on adrenaline. We overschedule ourselves; we drink another coffee; we respond to one more email. If we stay amped up all the time, we think, we’ll eventually be able to get things done.

But all that does is burn us out, drain our productivity, and lead to exhaustion.

There’s another way—a calmer way. Cultivating a more restful, relaxed state of mind doesn’t mean we’ll drown under all our responsibilities. Instead, research suggests it will bring us greater attention, energy, and creativity to tackle them. And science also points to simple ways we can tap into that calm state of mind to be more resilient in our chaotic lives.

6 ACTIVE FAMIL Y | SEPTEMBER 2020

[ HEALTH & WELLNESS ] A stressed mind vs. a calm mind

when you’re in a calmer and happier place, that’s

Stress was never meant to be a 24/7 experience. As

probably the day when you will have more empathy:

Stanford professor Robert Sapolsky explains, you’re

You’ll notice your colleague and take the time to reach

really only supposed to feel stressed in the five minutes

out and ask if there’s anything you can do to support

right before you die. When you are being chased in

them.

the savanna by a wild animal, your stress response is supposed to save your life—it mobilizes your attention,

When you’re calm, you also manage your energy

muscles, and immune system to get you quickly out of

because you’re not burning yourself up constantly,

danger. When animals escape, they come right out of

spending your days with your sympathetic nervous

fight-or-flight mode and into “rest-and-digest” mode,

system in overdrive. Calm helps you focus on what you

where the parasympathetic nervous system is working to

need to do and get it done much more quickly.

replenish their resources.

Calmness can also impact your creativity. Research That stress response is supposed to be short-lived

suggests that our most creative ideas come in moments

because it wears down your body, your health, and

when we’re not actively focused or stressed. We are most

your energy. It also impacts things like your emotional

creative when our brain is in alpha wave mode, which is

intelligence and your decision making. When you’re

a relaxed state of mind—like when you’re in the shower

tightly wound up, you are more likely to react to situations

or taking a walk in nature. Indeed, people who go on an

than to respond with reason.

immersive nature retreat for four days come back with 50 percent increased creativity.

You also perceive the world differently. Stress makes us narrowly focused, preventing us from seeing the bigger

If you want to get the most out of yourself in terms of your

picture. When we’re calmer, our attention becomes

productivity, creativity, and innovation—making progress

broader. In fact, we literally see more things. In one study,

at work or just solving the basic problems of life that

participants went through a three-month meditation

you’re faced with—calm is the key.

training. They then engaged in something called the attentional blink task, in which you watch images appear

How to cultivate a calm state of mind

rapidly one after another. Usually when people do this

We know how to become stressed. Most of us are really

exercise, their attention doesn’t pick up all of the target

good at activating our adrenal system and getting

images. But after that mindfulness training, participants

wound up. The question becomes, then, how do you

were able to pick up more of the target images than pre-

wind down? Research suggests several practices that

retreat—suggesting that their state of mind had become

not only feel good but also put us into a calmer, more

more attentive.

relaxed state—a state from which we can cope better with whatever life throws at us.

Being able to attend more means that you notice more things about other people and you’re able to

1. Breathing.

communicate with them in more powerful ways. High

Jake, who appears in my book The Happiness Track,

stress and anxiety (or any kind of negative emotion)

was a U.S. Marine officer in charge of a Humvee on a

make us self-focused, for an evolutionary reason: When

convoy across Afghanistan, when his vehicle drove over

our ancestors were stressed, it was because they were in

an improvised explosive device. After the explosion,

a survival situation. It was good to be focused on yourself

he looked down and saw that his legs were severely

so you could save your life.

fractured below the knee. In that moment of shock, terror, and pain, he remembered a breathing exercise

When we’re stressed, we’re less likely to notice if a

that he had read about for extreme wartime situations.

colleague looks burned out or sad and more likely to get irritated if they don’t perform as we expect. However,

It allowed him to do his duty, which was to check on SEPTEMBER 2020 | ACTIVE FAMIL Y 7

[ HEALTH & WELLNESS ] everyone else in the vehicle. It gave him the presence

to a good deal of research, self-criticism destroys our

of mind to give orders to call for help, and to then

resilience. We’re less able to learn from our mistakes

tourniquet his own legs and prop them up before he fell

when we beat ourselves up. Self-critical people tend to

unconscious—which saved his life.

have greater anxiety and depression, and an inability to bounce back from struggles.

Our breathing is a powerful way for us to regulate our emotions, and it is something we take for

Imagine someone running a marathon for the very first

granted. Through your breath, you can activate your

time in their life, and they trip and fall. Someone on the

parasympathetic nervous system—the calming response

sidelines says, “You’re a loser, you’re so not a runner.

in your body.

What are you doing here? Go home.” That person is our internal, self-critical voice. Self-compassion is somebody

That’s why we turned to breathing to help veterans—50

on the other side, who says, “Everybody falls, this is

percent of whom don’t see any improvement in their

normal. You are so awesome, you’re totally killing this.”

trauma symptoms from therapy or medication. The veterans were skeptical, but we began teaching them

Self-compassion is the ability to be mindful of your

different breathing exercises. Within a couple of days,

emotions—aware of the emotions that are going on

some of them started sleeping without medication; after

inside whenever you fail at something. It doesn’t mean

the week-long program, many of them didn’t qualify as

you identify with them; you can just observe and notice

having post-traumatic stress anymore, and that persisted

them, without feeding the fire. Self-compassion also

up to a year later.

involves understanding that everyone makes mistakes and that it’s part of being human. And it is the ability to

Using your breath, you can change how you feel. In

speak to yourself the way you would speak to a friend

another study, researchers observed people feeling

who just failed, warmly and kindly.

different emotions and found that there was a different pattern of breath for each one. Then, they gave other

When we adopt this attitude, research suggests, we are

people the different breathing patterns to perform and

calmer—we have less feelings of stress as well as lower

asked them, “How do you feel?” It turned out that doing

cortisol levels. We’re also more resilient: We’re less afraid

those breathing exercises actually evoked the emotions.

of failure, and more motivated to improve ourselves.

One of the most calming breathing exercises you can

3. Connection.

do is to breathe in (e.g., to a count of four), hold, and

How often are we actually present for another person

then breathe out for up to twice as long (e.g., to a count

100 percent? When was the last time somebody was 100

of six or eight). You can gently constrict your throat,

percent present with you, even your spouse?

making a sound like the ocean, which is used in deep relaxation breathing. As you’re doing this, especially

There’s a loneliness epidemic in the United States

thanks to those long exhales, you’re activating the

and across the world. We know that those feelings of

parasympathetic nervous system, reducing your heart

loneliness are extremely destructive to our body and

rate and blood pressure.

mind, leading to worse health and even earlier death.

A way to build resilience to stress, anxiety, and anger is

And the stress and lack of calm in today’s world may

alternate nostril breathing, try it here. Better yet, take a

contribute to this loneliness because of the way that it

breathing class here.

tends to make us self-focused.

2. Self-compassion.

Our greatest human need, after food and shelter, is

Often we are our worst critic. We think that being

to connect with other people in a positive way. From

self-critical will help us be more self-aware and make

the moment we’re born until our last day, we have a

us work harder, but that’s a myth. In fact, according

deep and profound longing to belong to one another.

8 ACTIVE FAMIL Y | SEPTEMBER 2020

[ HEALTH & WELLNESS ] And when we fulfi ll that need, it brings us more calm: The

they were all engaged in helping friends and family in

oxytocin and natural opioids that we release when we

their life—from assisting with transportation or shopping

connect may exert a calming infl uence on our bodies,

to housework and child care. Service is one of the most

and the knowledge that we have the support of others

profound ways to nourish the community around you, but

can soothe our minds. When we face adversity, research

also to nourish, inspire, and energize yourself. It’s like that

suggests that our relationships and community have an

children’s book—when you fi ll someone’s bucket, it also fi lls

important role to play in our resilience.

yours.

So how do we create a state of mind where we feel more

Cultivating calm isn’t about avoiding every kind of stressful

connected?

The good news is that by taking care of yourself and your own well-being with practices like breathing and selfcompassion, you are able to turn more attention outward to feel more connected, as well. Positive emotions like calm naturally make us feel closer to other people. You can try specific practices that research has found to boost your sense of connection, as well.

4. Compassion for others.

Imagine a day when things aren’t going well for you—you

emotion. In fact, when we make time to breathe, connect, and care, some of the negative feelings we’ve been running from might catch up with us. But that’s the time for self-compassion; it’s okay to feel bad. Resilience doesn’t mean that we’ll be happy all the time, but it does mean we have the energy, the mindset, and the support from others to help us weather the storm.

This essay is adapted from Emma Seppälä’s talk “Building Resilience in Times of Chaos.” It originally appeared on Greater Good.

spilled your coffee on yourself, and it’s raining. And then a friend calls who’s having a true emergency in their life, and you jump up and go help them immediately. What happens to your state of mind in that moment?

All of a sudden you have high energy; you’re completely at

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When we feel compassion, our heart rate goes down and our parasympathetic nervous system is more activated.

Kindness and compassion can also help protect us from adversity. In one of my favorite studies, researchers found that people who had been through traumatic life situations had a shorter lifespan. But among these participants, there was a small group of people who just seemed to keep on living. What was going on with these people?

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[ TRAVEL ]

10 ACTIVE FAMIL Y | SEPTEMBER 2020

[ TRAVEL ]

THE ROOKIE’S RV ROAD-TRIP GUIDE All The Tips, Tricks, And Revelations I Learned During My Two-Week Rented-Rv Road Trip

by Elizabeth Kang Barreling down the highway in our just-rented

reported a whopping 1,000 percent nationwide increase

motorhome — my husband, white-knuckled at the wheel

in bookings since the start of the pandemic. Local RV

and my kids, yipping and bouncing around unrestrained,

rental chains like Cruise America and El Monte RV are

like two energetic puppies just let off-leash —I kept

also experiencing a significant uptick in rental sales (and

thinking to myself “this can’t be legal.”

have adjusted prices according to that high demand.)

Prior to our departure, however, my CHP brother assured

With so many RV rookies hitting the road this year,

me that it is, in fact, legal to allow children to move

I wanted to share the tips I learned from my first

freely in a moving recreational vehicle (however crazy it

motorhome experience, and also the mishaps, so you

seems.) Many parents bring car seats anyway, to buckle

may be able to avoid some of the mistakes we made.

kids in during especially bumpy or fast-moving rides. I soon got used to the girls lounging on the queen-sized

The best way to plan an RV trip is to try to book your

RV bed, happily playing with their toys while my husband

rental as early as possible, do your research, and get

drove, and learned to anticipate bumps in the road or

advice from experienced friends.

sharp turns, shouting warnings of “Hold On Tight!”

Choosing the Right RV It was just one of the many aspects of RV-life that I

We rented a mid-sized class C motorhome (twenty-five

quickly grew to love on our recent two-week road

feet) from El Monte RV Rentals months before our trip.

trip from Livermore, CA to Yellowstone National Park.

The cost was $200 a night, not including gas, insurance,

While the park had been on my bucket list for years,

and mileage. The nightly rate was cheaper when I had

we likely would have opted for the more relaxing,

looked even earlier, so price does reflect demand.

albeit less adventurous Hawaii or Mexico under normal

Insurance was about $25 a night — covering both

circumstances, such as we’d done in previous years.

damage to the RV and any damage we incurred to

But, thanks to a certain global pandemic, flying wasn’t

other vehicles or persons while driving the RV. This is a

something I was willing risk, at the moment.

non-negotiable. You definitely want to be covered when renting a motorhome because there are so many things

Evidently, many US citizens feel the same way. RV

that can go wrong when you're driving an unfamiliar,

rentals and sales have gone through the roof in the

oversized vehicle. In our case, my husband drove off

past few months, with thousands of people opting to

while our RV awning was down and hit a tree branch,

travel the old-fashioned way, on the open road. Being

rendering the awning useless. Doh!

self-contained in a recreational vehicle, with all of the comforts of home, just feels like a safer option than

Size does matter, when it comes to RV’s. You’re probably

airplane and hotel travel. Having one’s own bathroom,

better off renting a smaller RV than you might initially

shower, kitchen and fridge/freezer allows for significantly

think, as long as it sleeps the appropriate amount of

less exposure to the public, and it’s an option many

people. The smaller the RV, the easier it is to handle, and

people have turned to.

the fewer restrictions you’ll have to worry about. Many campsites only allow RV’s of a certain size. For example,

RV Share, an Airbnb-like RV and trailer rental site, has

when I was booking our Yellowstone campsite, I learned SEPTEMBER 2020 | ACTIVE FAMIL Y 11

[ TRAVEL ]

that many campsites only accommodated RVs that are 25-

smooth as possible, avoid steep grades and very winding

feet or smaller. Those size restrictions influenced my rental-

roads.

size choice immensely.

Another important thing you’ll want to research is the Thankfully, I didn’t regret my decision. Our family of four

unpleasant but unavoidable process of dumping your RVs

was perfectly comfortable in a 25-foot RV, with myself and

black and grey water (black water is sewage and grey

my two-year-old sharing one queen-sized bed in the back,

water is the runoff from the shower and sink.) The rental

and my husband and six-year-old sharing the bunk-over-

company will likely go over all of this, along with every

cab bed. We had a spacious dining table, full bathroom,

aspect of operating the RV, but it’s a lot of information to

and kitchen to utilize — with a fridge and freezer I was able

take in at once and you’ll want to get familiar with the

to pack with two-weeks of food (along with a cooler in the

process before you begin your trip. Try watching a few

under-storage area.) There was plenty of overhead storage

YouTube videos to familiarize yourself with the procedure.

for clothing and pantry items, and even a closet to hang

After the first or second time, it becomes a no-brainer.

jackets in.

Another thing you’ll want to consider before you hit the Do Your Research

road is whether your campsites have “full hookups,”

When driving an RV, there’s more to consider than simply

“partial hookups,” or “no hookups.” If your RV park or

mapping out the quickest route to your destination.

campsite has full hookups, it means you can hookup your

You’ll want to plan your route ahead of time to avoid

RV to fresh water, electricity, and a sewer hose right at your

steep grades and unruly roads, which sometimes means

site. Partial hookups usually include only electricity and

adding some distance to your trip and taking a longer

water. No hookups is equivalent to dry camping, without

way around. I didn't consider any of this when I planned

any of the three.

my route to Yellowstone, but luckily, one of the maps I was using mentioned a steep grade in the road to the

When I read that my Yellowstone campsite had no

west entrance of the park. The map discouraged RVs and

hookups, I was a little nervous about both running out

oversized vehicles from taking that route because of the

of water and overfilling the sewage. That apprehension

steep 10% grade in the road, which would have been a

turned out to be unwarranted, thankfully, because

stressful and difficult drive. Thanks to that tip, I approached

fresh water hookups and a dumping station was only a

the park from the more-level south entrance, (which

minute’s drive away. Besides, we went comfortably without

added about 40 minutes to my trip.) To make your trip as

dumping or filling for four days straight. Lesson learned —

12 ACTIVE FAMIL Y | SEPTEMBER 2020

[ TRAVEL ] don’t be afraid to go a few days without hookups. Even

of cupboards when the RV takes a sharp turn, so do not

if you don’t have them, you can run your generator for

bring any breakable ceramic or glass kitchenware.

electricity (which recharges when you drive,) and you'll most likely be in an area where you can drive a short

*Small appliances — While most RV kitchens include a

distance to fill your tank with fresh water and dump your

microwave, stovetop and oven, don’t forget the small

sewage. To that end, be sure to bring disposable gloves

appliances like a coffee maker, toaster, or blender if you

for emptying the sewage, because (as my husband

need them.

learned the hard way) spills do happen, especially when you’re a newbie.

*A tablecloth — Most RV parks and campsites include a picnic table, so pack a tablecloth to keep things clean

Packing the RV — What to Bring

and easy.

This is where advice from experienced friends comes in handy. I had no idea that there was special RV toilet paper, but thanks to a friend’s invaluable “RV packing list,” I was in-the-know in time to do a quick order on Amazon.

Here are some things to keep in mind when packing for your trip: *While an RV provides most of the comforts of home, they don’t come with washers or dryers, so pack some laundry detergent if you plan of using a campsite or public laundry. *An RV gets dirty quickly when you’re camping, so bring a broom and mop for the floors, a cordless hand-held vacuum to clean beds and upholstery, and any other cleaning supplies you think you'll need.

*Bug spray and sunscreen — Coming from the Bay Area, where mosquitos are mostly non-existent, I never think to bring bug spray! In some areas of Yellowstone, however, it’s a must-have, along with sunscreen, of course. *Towels and shower supplies — Take advantage of the luxury of a hot shower while camping, and don’t forget your toiletries. *A full “camp kitchen” and more — Pack kitchen utensils, a few pots and pans, a small cutting board, cooking oil, spices, condiments, a few hand towels, garbage bags, kitchen sponges, dish soap, and dish gloves. Don't forget a fire starter for the propane oven and gas range. *Food — This is one of the best parts about RV camping!

By having access to a stove, microwave and oven, you

*Be sure to pack disposable plates, cups and utensils,

can eat as well as you do at home. With both an RV

because even though you’ll be able to wash dishes in

fridge/freezer and a full size cooler, we were able to

the RV, you’ll want to conserve as much water as possible

stock food for two weeks, with only one grocery stop

if you’re dry camping without hookups.

during our trip to refill ice, fresh fruit and veggies.

*Make sure to pack breathable dirty laundry bags —

My family and I enjoyed our RV trip immensely and are

something I always seem to forget to bring!

looking forward to planning our next motorhome trip.

I highly recommend renting an RV to try it out to see if

*Order RV-specific toilet paper before you leave, which

its a right fit for your family. We enjoyed the freedom

disintegrates quickly to avoid clogging your sewer

and comfort of riding in an RV, as well as the sense of

system. (Some people say regular toilet paper is fine to

friendly camaraderie we experienced from our RV camp

use, but I wanted to error on the side of caution.)

“neighbors." With these basic tips from one RV Rookie to another, I hope to add some insight and bolster your

*Plastic or metal kitchenware — Things inevitably fall out

confidence for your first RV trip.

SEPTEMBER 2020 | ACTIVE FAMIL Y 13

[ PARENTING ]

Katie Hurley, LCSW, is a child and adolescent psychotherapist and author of The Happy Kid Handbook. Her work can be found on EverydayFamily, Momtastic, mom.me, Yahoo Parenting, PBS Parents and The Huffington Post.

Katie writes the parenting blog, Practical Parenting. Katie splits her time between Los Angeles and the Connecticut coast with her rock and roll husband and their two happy children.

For more stress reduction techniques and strategies to empower children to live happy lives, check out Katie’s new book, The Happy Kid Handbook: How to Raise Joyful Children in a Stressful World.

Zoom Tips for School

by Katie Hurley, LCSW From the other side of the couch: zooming into school can be hard, especially for anxious kids. A couple of things came up last spring that I’m already hearing again: 1.

They don’t want to stare at their own video. It’s distracting and feels uncomfortable. Would you want to look in a mirror all day?

2.

It’s hard to process all of the movements, facial expressions, and

14 ACTIVE FAMIL Y | SEPTEMBER 2020

[ PARENTING ] distractions in the zoom room. Younger kids tend to

Try this:

get up and down or shift around a lot. Sometimes

1. Keep a stress ball or silly putty handy to relieve

they make funny faces or start showing everything

tension. I ask kids to do this under the desk or out of

on their desk. They are all adjusting to this new way

sight of the camera so they don’t distract other kids.

of learning!

2. Encourage your kids to take sketch notes. This is a 3. It’s hard to sit and focus on a screen for a long time when you’re a passive user. You can’t compare it to video games or other tech use because in this

combination of drawing or sketching key points (doodling helps retain info!) and writing key words.

It’s both relaxing and helps with focus.

environment, students are being asked to sit and listen for long periods of time. If you’ve been in any long zoom meetings, you know how hard this is.

Many schools are using zoom, but some are using other platforms. It’s really important to spend some time getting to know the specific platforms so you can figure out comfort options.

For zoom, you can: 1. Use the “hide myself” option to get rid of the pesky virtual mirror. Right click your video, choose hide myself, and now your child doesn’t have to look in

3. Always have water nearby. A dehydrated mind is an anxious mind.

4. If the teacher gives a break, use it. Go outside for a breath of fresh air, try jumping jacks for energy, walk around the home, do some yoga poses, walk like your favorite animal, etc.

5. For older tweens and teens, a calming herbal tea with honey can help sustain focus and decrease stress.

the mirror all class!

6. Have those grab and go healthy snacks ready! They 2. Active speaker mode puts the active speaker

need brain food!

(teacher or student answering/asking a question) in the primary position. This filters out some of the distractions from gallery view.

3. Pin the teacher’s video. You can pin the teacher so your student only views the teacher in the room.

7. Expect ups and downs. This is a lot of change. It’s hard.

8. Empathy, connection, compassion - this is how we help them adjust.

No matter what the screen looks like, it’s a lot of sitting

And don’t forget to take care of you! Parents are under

and staring. Teachers are working hard to factor in brain

SO much pressure right now. Give yourself some grace as

breaks and movement breaks. This is hard for them, too.

you all work through this difficult time.

SEPTEMBER 2020 | ACTIVE FAMIL Y 15

[ PARENTING ]

Impact: What Transitioning to the “New” Normal Means in Education Stratford School Unveils its Plan for Fall 2020

by Stratford School Stratford School is excited to welcome students back for the upcoming school year with safety in mind and plans for a flexible learning environment.

We have established priorities aligned with our school’s mission and goals for students, created a return-to-school plan, and have built out support systems for several contingency plans. Here’s an overview of our plans to reunite in the upcoming school year: Staying True to Stratford’s Guiding Principles Safety Our commitment to the health and safety of our school community is paramount. We will abide by all state and local statues, heed the advice of health organizations, notably the CDC, and maintain a clean and healthy environment within our schools. Additionally, we will implement several 16 ACTIVE FAMIL Y | SEPTEMBER 2020

[ PARENTING ] strategies to encourage behaviors known to reduce the

A Caring Atmosphere

spread of COVID-19.

In all of our distance-learning interactions with students, we tried to bridge the digital gap with some playfulness,

Quality Academic Programs

some fun, and other manifestations of care and

Depending on the final state and local statues for

connection. In advisory meetings and in academic

this school year wherein shelter-in-place or reduced-

classes, we incorporated elements that supported

occupancy mandates are imposed, we will be ready

social-emotional health. During our months apart, social-

to transition to one of several teaching and learning

emotional learning was more relevant than ever.

models, among them (1) Traditional School – Onsite instruction, in the event there are NO capacity limitations, (2) Hybrid Schedule - A mix of traditional school and coordinated distance learning to accommodate on-site capacity limitations required for safe-distancing and stable-grouping regulations, and (3) Fully Online – Option designed for parents who are reluctant to send their children back to an on-campus environment in the fall.

Commitment to Improvement The school has committed to investing in computer hardware and software upgrades to aid in any hybrid

Onward with Optimism!

As communities begin to open back up, it is important to be mindful of potential messages around COVID-19 that may be confusing to children. Introducing proactive, age-appropriate discussions about how school might look different when they start the new school year are important topics in which to engage and develop as information evolves. This continued focus around what we do know about the virus and sharing the things that are within our control can help build confidence, and a level of comfort, in our children.

accommodation we may face, and also at the request of our teachers, who, during the distance-learning period, learned and developed creative uses for instructional technology and learning programs, which they hope to continue using.

And, as we begin to plan for this upcoming school year, we are driven by the mission and vision that inspires us as educators in the first place, and we are reinvigorated by the creativity and inventiveness unleashed in response to these extraordinarily challenging circumstances. We

School year 2020-21 teacher training will focus almost

will begin the school year grateful for the opportunity to

entirely on blended learning techniques – how to

teach and to learn as we move onward to an excellent

develop curriculum and programing with clear through-

future!

lines that seamlessly integrate traditional and modern teaching pedagogies, synchronous and asynchronous

To learn more about Stratford School or to schedule a

learning, in-person and digital experiences.

personalized virtual tour go to stratfordschools.com.

SEPTEMBER 2020 | ACTIVE FAMIL Y 17

[ PARENTING ]

Whether travelers are looking to book a weekend getaway or the trip of a lifetime, Vacasa is the trusted partner for all things vacation rental. Vacasa homeowners enjoy industryleading financial returns on their vacation homes, delivered by the company’s unmatched technology platform that adjusts rates in real time and ensures revenue is always maximized.

Guests can relax comfortably in one of Vacasa’s 25,000+ professionally managed homes, knowing that 24/7 customer care is just a phone call away. In the past 10 years, Vacasa and its licensed subsidiaries have grown to become North America’s largest full-service vacation rental management platform.

For more information, visit www.vacasa.com/press.

How to Travel Safely During the Pandemic

by Vacasa.com These are, dare we say it, unprecedented times. You’ve probably heard that phrase more often than you would care to over the past five months or so, but hey, it’s true.

By now, you’re probably feeling like a break from confinement is long overdue. And, you’re in good company. In our new study conducted this month, we received 1,800 responses and more than 92% said they were ready to travel at this stage in the pandemic.

Fortunately, there are ways you can stay safe while traveling, and make choices to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19. Hear us out.

18 ACTIVE FAMIL Y | SEPTEMBER 2020

[ PARENTING ] 1. Embark on a road trip.

Stock up on face coverings for every member of your

There’s really no need to brave a germ-filled airport

crew!

when you could load up the car and hit the open road.

Our study found that 87% of respondents prefer to drive,

4. Choose a spacious vacation home that’s

and only 12% would consider flying right now. Most road

professionally cleaned and managed.

trippers are sticking close to home, too. This summer, the

We may be biased, but we like to think professionally

average vacation driving distance is down 19%, or 73

managed accommodations have become the standard

miles, across the U.S.

for safe travel. And, data shows the demand for properly sanitized vacation rentals is strong. In May and June,

Plus, by traveling via car, you can bring the whole family

we saw a significant increase in Google searches for

for a fraction of the cost. We found that nearly 40% of

"vacation home cleaning" and “vacation rental COVID

people are bringing kids along on their next vacation,

cleaning.”

while more than a quarter will have their dog in tow!

2. Pick a remote destination with plenty of outdoor activities.

Instead of traveling to the heart of a crowded city, head to a hidden gem where you can safely keep six feet between you and the next person.

The past two months, we saw a 3–4x spike in searches for "lakefront vacation rentals," and our recent survey confirmed that 75% of respondents want to vacation near a large body of water, with waterfront homes taking the lead (54%) as the most sought-after type of vacation rental.

When selecting your vacation spot, think about skipping the crowded restaurants and bars. Opt for more outdoor activities like hiking densely wooded forest trails, cooling off in the water, or biking through the mountains.

At Vacasa, we outline our Vacasa Premium Clean program on our website to show consumers like you that safety is our top priority. Across our inventory, the vacation rentals we manage are cleaned to CDC standards, and we equip our valued staff with PPE and hospital-grade disinfectant.

5. When choosing your vacation rental, think about how to minimize exposure.

During your search for the perfect vacation home, look for options like contactless check-in and access to private amenities. Take it from us: you do not want to be touching a credit card machine, or get jammed in an elevator with 10 people right about now.

Also, make sure the vacation home you choose has essential features like a full kitchen, so you can avoid dining out and enjoy a home-cooked meal.

3. Keep tabs on local regulations—and bring masks for every member of the family.

6. If you’re thinking of visiting local businesses, plan

Research local regulations and COVID-19 case count

ahead.

in the destination where you’re planning to travel. This

At Vacasa, our employees are equipped with PPE and

will help you assess safety and understand potential

wear masks while working, but we understand not all

risks. And, while you’re at it, stay apprised of new

workplaces have the same measures and policies in

developments in your hometown in case the local

place.

government enacts travel restrictions that could affect your plans.

Reduce risk of exposure by reading business reviews and calling to ask important questions that will help

Bear in mind that many states require masks in public,

determine where you feel comfortable visiting well in

and businesses may not allow you to enter without one.

advance of your trip.

SEPTEMBER 2020 | ACTIVE FAMIL Y 19

[ PARENTING ]

Sheyla has been working at Bunny Studio since its founding in 2012.

She has worked fully remote for the last 8 years whilst building a family and living in Montevideo, Uruguay. During her time at the company, she has grown into several positions and is currently serving as people experience associate and executive business administrator.

Tips for Balancing Remote Work and Full-Time Parenting During COVID-19

by Sheyla Scaffo Many parents are currently navigating an entirely new normal: Working from home while taking care of their kids full-time. As school picks back up and many kids remain at home for remote learning, figuring out how to balance their schedule and a full-time job sometimes feels totally unmanageable.

Most parents have had experience working remotely in one-off, unplanned situations. However, working at home day in and day out for the foreseeable future while also caring for (and in some cases, teaching) kids at home proves to be a major struggle without careful planning where needed and flexibility when possible.

20 ACTIVE FAMIL Y | SEPTEMBER 2020

[ PARENTING ] Read on to learn how to create better routines and

smoother daily routine.

habits that can help parents maintain a healthy work-life integration:

It is also important to communicate with your children if they are old enough. Set expectations for when there will

1. When possible, keep things flexible

be breaks in your day that you can check-in, whether it

This is often easier said than done. However, when you do

be a quick snack break, lunch, or even hourly check-ins.

have the ability, consider getting creative with your work schedule to base your hours around your kids’ schedules.

4. Utilize special toys and screen time during work hours

Giving yourself the flexibility to work differently during this

Set aside designated toys and other gadgets, as well as

time is crucial to maintaining work-life balance.

movies or TV shows, to be used when you need to focusin during the day. This will give your kids something to

This can work in a variety of ways. For example, if you’re an early morning person or a night owl, or you are used

look forward to and will allow for some distraction-free work time.

to commuting a long way, consider working on projects during these times when kids are usually sleeping. Of course, there will always be vital tasks and meetings that require collaboration with your colleagues during regular work hours, but finding ways to give yourself time for small breaks during the day will help you and your kids stay on track.

2. Establish a kid-free zone There will be times when you need to hunker down and complete work items free from distractions, which is why it is important to establish an area of the house where you can separate yourself from your family.

5. Don’t overwork During this time, it can be easy to feel like we need to push ourselves to work extra hours, but the reality is that taking the time to unplug and reset each day is critical to success as a parent and an employee.

With schools and offices closed, parents are likely finding themselves faced with a to-do list that has only grown.

Although many of us have now had a few months to settle into fully-remote work, that does not mean keeping up with distance-learning while figuring out the best way to accomplish your work has gotten any easier.

Not only is it important for this space to be free from

Designing a schedule that fits your needs is easier said

other people, but it also needs to be free from other

than done, but following the above tips should help

distractions such as dirty laundry and other messes.

ensure you are on the right track.

Keeping the area clean and organized will keep you from wanting to disengage from work to complete other

Should you find yourself out of work during this time,

tasks.

consider that there are other work options out there, such as freelance and contract work, that may help you

3. Clearly communicate with your family

meet your scheduling and finance needs. Freelancing is

If you have a partner who is also working from home and

also a great source of supplemental income for people

sharing kid duties with you, it is crucial to communicate

while they look for new full-time employment. Just make

the times you can and cannot help out during the

sure you choose the right platform to help you get the

day. Setting these expectations will allow for a much

right kind of projects, such as Bunny Studio.

SEPTEMBER 2020 | ACTIVE FAMIL Y 21

[ ACTIVE FAMILY ]

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