After this pandemic ends, after we are able to venture out without wearing face masks, wiping down our purchased items, washing our hands endlessly throughout the day, what will the new normal be like?  “Now what?” is the question many of us are asking.

Parenting will never be the same. Education will never be the same.  Life before the Coronavirus interrupted our daily routines, our minds were filled with fears concerning how our kids would adjust to life on their own.  Would they be able to find employment when many businesses turned to online employment?  Would they be able to afford a home?  Would they be financially independent?  Well, we are now faced with more serious issues.

Will our kids ever feel safe to enter society again without fearing that they will be infected with a life-threatening virus that may shorten their lives?  When social distancing requirements end, how will we adjust to simple situations that involve sitting at a restaurant?  Will students ever feel safe returning to classrooms without wiping down the chairs and desks?  Will they constantly worry whether they carried enough hand sanitizer to last their entire school day?

During this pandemic, extended stay at home order, kids are suffering from a lack of socializing. Depression, suicide rates, and anxiety are on the rise. It appears likely that the COVID-19 pandemic will lead to increased rates of mental health problems, and “we must recognize the pandemic that will quickly follow it — that of mental and behavioral illness,” wrote Sandro Galea, MD, of the Boston University School of Public Health.

Brad Hunstable, a father from Columbus, Ohio, posted a video explaining that his 12-year-old son, Hayden, died by suicide on April 17, 2020 just four days before his 13th birthday. Hunstable blames the isolation that comes with Covid-19.  

How can parents prepare their children for the New Normal? There are simple lessons that parents can teach. Children who learn how to deal with stress, how to take care of their mental health, how to communicate effectively, how to be resilient and confident and how to practice faith that they can overcome any challenge they face.  How do we adjust to life after a global pandemic? The New Normal can be described as adapting to life after experiencing an overwhelming tragedy.  It’s our responsibility, as parents, to take the time to prepare our kids for life after COVID-19.