PBS Kids Is Hosting A Virtual Panel To Support Parents As Kids Head Back To School

Between questions about instruction models, safety precautions, potential COVID-19 outbreaks, and balancing supervision of a remote or hybrid student with work, parents across the country are grappling with what their child's return to school will look like amid the ongoing pandemic. So to help make the transition into what will surely be a unprecedented school year, PBS Kids is helping parents prepare for it by hosting a virtual panel with child development and education experts.

"Join PBS KIDS, top child development and education experts, and other parents and caregivers of children [age] 2 to 8 for a virtual conversation," the children's programming brand said in a recent press release. "With the help of Daniel Tiger, Wild Kratts and other PBS KIDS friends, we will answer questions and talk about the 'little things' that will make a big difference whatever school looks like for your family — from routines that support social and emotional growth and academic learning to mindfulness habits for the whole family."

Writer, teacher, and parent Deborah Farmer Kris will moderate PBS Kids' "Prepping for A Very Different School Year: Strategies for Parents," which will feature California Surgeon General Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, PBS Kids Early Learning Champion Claudia Robles Arias, and Chris Loggins, the supervising producer for Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood.

"Parents and caregivers are wrestling with tough questions about the 2020-2021 school year," PBS Kids said in a press release promoting its upcoming virtual prep event for parents. "In the face of these challenges, there's a lot we can do to bolster our children's feelings of confidence and security as they head into a new year."

While PBS Kids hasn't released a detailed agenda for "Prepping for A Very Different School Year: Strategies for Parents," the event is expected to cover ways parents and caregivers can support children's learning and social and emotional health despite the uncertainties embedded into the upcoming school year.

Parents interested in attending the free virtual event are asked to register online at the PBS Kids website using their email address and zip code. PBS Kids' "Prepping for A Very Different School Year: Strategies for Parents" virtual get together will commence Tuesday, Aug. 18 at 3:30 p.m. ET.

If you think you’re showing symptoms of coronavirus, which include fever, shortness of breath, and cough, call your doctor before going to get tested. If you’re anxious about the virus’s spread in your community, visit the CDC for up-to-date information and resources, or seek out mental health support. You can find all of Romper’s parents + coronavirus coverage here.