Helping kids connect with others now

+ pandemic literature and faith, race and the Treaty of Versailles US Edition - Today's top story: 3 ways to promote social skills in homebound kids [View in browser]( US Edition | 3 August 2020 [The Conversation]( Academic rigor, journalistic flair One school district after another is announcing plans to resume virtual instruction as the new school year gets underway. To help kids’ social skills, parents should try to boost and preserve their child’s ability to pay attention to other people, explains psychologist Elizabeth Englander. Many of the activities she suggests to accomplish this require [spending time unplugged](. Gathering everyone around the dinner table, getting children to play outside and having them rely on the mail to get to know a new pen pal can all make a difference. Also today: - [Protecting water supplies from wildfires]( - [Earned income tax credit needs changes to help the poor]( - [Video Q+A: Who controls pandemic data?]( Emily Schwartz Greco Philanthropy + Nonprofits | Childhood + Parenting Editor Too much time screen time can lead to lower self-esteem. SDI Productions/E+ via Getty Images [3 ways to promote social skills in homebound kids]( Elizabeth Englander, Bridgewater State University It's worth going out of your way to ensure that kids practice interacting with others and maintain their friendships. Environment + Energy - [Wildfires can poison drinking water – here’s how communities can be better prepared]( Andrew J. Whelton, Purdue University; Caitlin R. Proctor, Purdue University Buildings aren't the only things at risk in wildfires. Recent disasters in California have left local water system contaminated with toxic chemicals afterward, slowing return and recovery. Economy + Business - [Millions of America’s working poor may lose out on key anti-poverty tax credit because of the pandemic]( Rebecca Hasdell, Stanford University; Alice Milivinti, Stanford University; David Rehkopf, Stanford University The earned income tax credit lifts around 6 million of the working poor out of poverty every year, but with the economy hammered by COVID-19, many might not get the benefit they need. - [International trade has cost Americans millions of jobs. Investing in communities might offset those losses]( Amitrajeet A. Batabyal, Rochester Institute of Technology When manufacturing jobs disappear, what are the best ways to help unemployed workers? Video - [Video: Who controls pandemic data?]( Julia Lane, New York University A White House decision to take over collection of COVID-19 data from the CDC sparked worries over political interference. A public data expert talks about the importance of transparent public data. Politics + Society - [How a peace conference’s failures a century ago set the stage for today’s anti-racist uprisings]( Elizabeth Thompson, American University Suffering a pandemic and the aftermath of a war that killed 50 million, the world in 1920 faced a turning point as it negotiated a new political order. As today, the key issue was racial inequality. Ethics + Religion - [What literature can tell us about people’s struggle with their faith during a pandemic]( Agnes Mueller, University of South Carolina Narratives throughout history illustrate how pandemics make people grapple with their faith, leading them to deepen religious beliefs or reject them altogether. Health - [Obamacare’s unexpected bonus: How the Affordable Care Act is helping middle-aged Americans during the pandemic]( Marc Cohen, University of Massachusetts Boston; Jane Tavares For millions, the ACA is making a big difference during the coronavirus crisis. Trending on site - [Why hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine don’t block coronavirus infection of human lung cells]( Katherine Seley-Radtke, University of Maryland, Baltimore County A new study not only shows that the malarial drug chloroquine doesn't block SARS-CoV-2 from infecting lung cells, but also explains why. - [Does coronavirus linger in the body? What we know about how viruses in general hang on in the brain and testicles]( William Petri, University of Virginia Some viruses can hide out in the body and reemerge at later times. Which viruses do this, and can the new coronavirus do this too? - [Next COVID casualty: Cities hit hard by the pandemic face bankruptcy]( Mark Davidson, Clark University; Kevin Ward, University of Manchester With sales tax revenues plummeting because of the pandemic, many cities will face bankruptcy – and that could affect everything from retirees' pensions to whether roads get fixed. You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation](. Not interested anymore? [Unsubscribe](. 89 South Street - Suite 202 Boston, MA 02111