Building Pandemic PODS for Kid’s Mental Health and Educational Future

As the pandemic lingers on, families are finding ways to allow their children to socialize and learn with others by creating pandemic pods or bubbles. By setting up adhered to guidelines, children can safely play with friends and learn in a group setting, while parents and grandparents get support from the other members of the pod. The Institute for Natural Medicine checked in with a few families – each with their own setup – on creating pandemic pods.

Related: Mental Health Care for Parents Under Pandemic Lockdown

Pandemic PODS (Parent Organized Discovery Sites) typically bring together three to six families and employ a teacher, college student or other adult to assist in their education and childcare. As this idea takes hold, even some school districts are forming pandemic PODS (read more about that here), as well as local YMCAs, Boys and Girls Clubs, non-profit education organizations, and churches (check with your local community and our list of resources below).

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