2020 News You Can Use From the Commission on Grandparents Raising Grandchildren weekly newsletter #1

In these difficult and unprecedented times, it is important that we stay informed and connected. Although as grandparents raising grandchildren, relative caregivers, and service providers we may not be able to meet in our communities to discuss and share important issues for children and families, we can still stay connected in other ways. The Commission on Grandparents Raising Grandchildren plans to send weekly newsletters out in order to share information and resources that may be helpful to you as caregivers. We hope to provide links to resources that may address some of your questions or concerns about COVID-19 Coronavirus, as well as share resources for you as caregivers who are home with children who are out of school. We wish you all good health. The Commission on Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

Coronavirus Advisory and Information

www.mass.gov www.mass.gov Includes information about COVID-19, state of emergency guidance and directives, prevention and treatment, travel information and frequently asked questions.

www.mass211.org  www.mass211.org Mass 2-1-1 is has been set up to answer questions related to COVID-19. It is an information and referral hotline available 24 hours/7 days a week. Operators fluent in Spanish are available, interpreter services available in multiple languages as well. Dial 2-1-1 or visit the website.

www.cdc.gov www.cdc.gov  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has information about steps to prevent illness, what to do if you are sick, and information about keeping work, schools, and communities safe.

Parental Stress Hotline Resources The Children's Trust has a great list of local and national resources to help parental/caregiver stress during these difficult and unusual times. Please click on the link below for more information. Click Here For Information

Commission Announcements: Spring 2020 Workshops: Mattapan 3/27/20 CANCELLED Milford 4/1/20 CANCELLED Ashburnham 4/14/20 CANCELLED Support Group Training 4/3/20 : CANCELLED * No decision has been made at this time regarding workshops scheduled in May in Billerica, Chicopee, and Bourne. * No decision has been made at this time regarding the 2020 Conference for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren which scheduled 6/3/20.

How to Talk to Kids About Coronavirus Colleen Pritoni GP Commission Director and Parent of Two Teenagers As a parent myself, I have struggled with how to talk to my own children about the Coronavirus Crisis that we are all going through together. Terms like "social-distancing" and "remote learning" and "alone together" are terms that we are just not used to ourselves, never mind trying to explain it to children. As time goes on, the severity of the situation has set in for my teenagers and they are accepting the fact the social-distancing is the only way to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe. But it is not easy. What my kids are struggling with (what I think we are ALL struggling with) is the million dollar question: How long do we have to do this? My kids miss their friends, they miss their sports, they miss sleepovers, they miss shopping with friends or playing pick-up basketball at the park. They actually miss school too! What they really miss is normalcy, structure, routine, and predictability. Although there is no perfect way to talk to children about this current crisis, I started looking online for some ideas of how to talk to children of all ages about Coronavirus and these current times. This is just a start, but here a few links that I found helpful and maybe you will too. How to Talk to Teenagers About Coronavirus Talking to Young Children About Coronavirus Coronavirus and Parenting: What You Need to Know

What To Do With Kids While Home Each week, we will send out information, tips, helpful resources for what to do with your grandchildren while they are home. We hope you find these resources helpful and maybe even a little fun. If you know of other resources or have some ideas that you would like to share, please send the information to colleen.pritoni@state.ma.us and we will include it in the following week's newsletter. We will all get through this together!

Click Here to Learn More Scholastic Books has free online courses for kids called "Learn at Home." This program provides day-today projects to keep kids reading, thinking, and growing. Check it out by clicking on the button above. Click Here to Learn More Jarrett J. Krosoczka is a children's book author and illustrator who was raised by grandparents in Worcester and recently published the book Hey, Kiddo about his experience (We highly recommend this book!). Jarrett has started having daily "online art classes" on his website. Click on the button above to get to Jarrett's website and connect to the art classes.

Click Here for Information PBS has a very comprehensive e-learning center which brings the world to our in-home classroom. This includes videos and interactive lessons. Categories for learning includes social studies, English Language Arts, Science, Math, the Arts, and more. Lessons are available for students K-12. Click Here to Learn More Highlights Kids has a great website with free resources including games, videos, activities, jokes, hidden pictures, and creative activities to do at home with kids.