N.S. family brims with back-to-school excitement despite COVID-19 fears

Despite some novelties associated with returning to school mid-pandemic, Laurie Tracey says her family is following its typical back-to-school routine.

Her two daughters, 6 and 9, need new learning supplies and fresh sneakers, and the whole family needs to prepare for a change in routine, Tracey said.

New to this year's preparations are conversations about hand-sanitizing and wearing masks.

"We're really just in an excited kind of place," said Tracey.

"We're all feeling really lucky that Nova Scotia is in a place where we can actually go back to what feels a bit normal and have our kids back at school."

Ready for the first day

She said her girls' teachers and principal have been communicating well about the reopening plan and setting clear expectations.

"So we're feeling pretty informed and we're feeling like our school at least has been there on top of things and they're ready to go for [the first day]."

Her feelings are different from what's been at the centre of public conversation about back-to-school in Nova Scotia over the past few weeks.

Unions and opposition parties have denounced the government's plans, and last week Nova Scotia Teachers Union president Paul Wozney called for the province to delay the start of school by two days to allow teachers more time to prepare.

Unsatisfied by endorsements from pediatric experts and Public Health, Wozney said last week that opening schools on Sept. 8 under the current model is "a disaster waiting to happen," and some teachers are afraid to go back.

Tracey, a registered psychologist, said her work has shown her the prevalenceof pandemic-related fear and anxiety lately, making it no wonder that those feelings have emerged around back-to-school this year.

"It is frightening ... It's been frightening living in the world and having to adapt and adjust."

Accepting the inevitability of COVID-19

She said she's been able to quell the fear by accepting that there will be more cases of the virus.

"We're not expecting there to be zero cases because we're sort of accepting the inevitability that we have to live amongst COVID," Tracey said.

"But what we are feeling confident in [is]when or if,but more likely when there is a case that it's going to be handled well and ... we're going to be able to stamp out the community transmission."

Tracey said she expects that her family isn't the only one feeling some excitement about returning to school and she said she hopes the energy of excited kids will provide some assurances to anyone who's nervous.