Make time for your mental health, says Fort Providence mom as online learning begins again
CBC
A mother-of-two in Fort Providence says it's important for parents to support each other as school-aged children return to learning from home.
Schools in many communities across the N.W.T. took their classes online this week as cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 rise.
At Deh Gáh school in Fort Providence, online learning will continue until at least Jan. 21.
With school already delayed by a week, five-year-old Lakal Sittichinlii is starting to miss his classmates and teachers, according to his mother Karalyn Menicoche.
"He's asking, you know, 'Is it school time?' every once in a while," Menicoche said in an interview with Trailbreaker host Loren McGinnis.
"I'll be like, 'No, my boy — we're in a slight lockdown here in the community because a lot of people are getting sick with COVID.'"
Menicoche said learning from home can be tough for parents — they have to figure out how to burn off their children's energy, manage their time and look after their own mental health.
She's thankful she is at home right now with Lakal and her 10-month-old, Lawson Sittichinli, instead of working.
"I find myself just having to breathe and calm down, but also reaching out to my other friends that are mothers. So just gaining that support, too, is helpful," she said.
In the absence of face-to-face interactions, Menicoche said it's important to find a support system in different ways — through phone calls or online.
"That's the one thing I was worried about ... how are people handling their mental health? Being Dene, being traditional, we're so used to gathering and talking to each other and shaking hands — how is everybody dealing with that?" she said.
"I find that talking about it really helps."
Deh Gáh School announced its switch to remote learning on its website and in a Facebook post Friday afternoon.
It stated teachers at the school would be in touch with students and families to arrange for students to learn from home, and would provide learning packages.
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