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FARR WEST — Over the past seven months or so, we have all been adjusting to what has become a popular term called "the new normal." In reality, nothing has been "normal."
It has been a time of facing uncomfortable feelings like worry, frustration, boredom and sadness, among others. Parents have had to deal with all of these feelings for themselves in addition to juggling working from home and helping their own children process it all. It's no wonder that we're all on edge. Now there is a whole "new normal" to consider for some parents and kids: online schooling.
For some kids the transition to online school has been somewhat seamless, as they like having control of their own schedule. However, what happens at times is that it is challenging for students and parents to keep things on track. If you find yourself in the latter category, you may have wondered, "How are we going to keep doing this?"
Here are some ideas that may answer this question:
Schedule is key
Your child may benefit from knowing what their day will be like ahead of time. They could have a visual calendar that they know is in a central location every day, like on the fridge or hanging on the wall above their desk. As a parent, you can keep this as simple or as detailed you would like. For example, something like 9 a.m. Reading, 9:30 a.m. Break, etc., may be enough to help them feel organized.
Younger children may respond to having pictures to illustrate things for them, like a picture of letters for spelling time and numbers for math education time.
Chunk work into smaller pieces
It can feel daunting and overwhelming for anyone to be confronted with a giant pile of work. Help your son or daughter feel less overwhelmed by breaking up tasks into smaller assignments and mixing up the types of work so that it stays fresh.
This could look something like completing a science sheet (instead of five all at once) and rotating the rest with reading or spelling activities, as an example. It may also be helpful to praise your kid as they complete these different assignments.
Create lots of breaks, varying them with stimulating activities
It's unrealistic to expect anyone to sit in front of a computer for five hours, as you may have learned if you experienced working at home during this pandemic. Some teachers and schools require some lecture times where they must be online with their classmates. Other times the schedule is looser. Take advantage of those free times by creating breaks.
There is also a bonus if you can vary the breaks so they stay novel. For example, one break is playing with Legos, the next is free electronic time, another is a fun easy science experiment. This can also be a good time for you to connect with your son or daughter and get a break yourself.
Use rewards to help motivate
Kids may thrive more in the online environment knowing that what they are doing has a purpose. Find what motivates your child, which can be rather widespread. It may even take some trial and error on your part. Try not to get frustrated during this process and pay attention to how they respond to the different rewards.
Some examples could be: favorite snacks they don't get to eat often, making slime or another craft together, or a bigger and more intricate reward like redecorating their room. As you learn what type of reward speaks to your child, you are learning how to help them feel appreciated. Make sure to switch the rewards frequently so that they stay fresh.
Create a busy box
When your son or daughter needs to be present in front of that screen for longer periods of time, try setting them up for success by having items readily available that they can "be busy" with while they are there. It can be helpful to make this box somewhat special so that they only get access to during these times; it will be more likely to feel motivating to them.
Some of the things that could be in your busy box are items like: Play-Dough or putty, fidget toys, gum or other small snacks that are acceptable at the learning area, coloring or drawing materials, and chair bands or a yoga ball for them to sit on to let those fidgets out.
Keep your cool amid the frustrations
Children have an innate ability to match the level of intensity that you show when feeling strong feelings, like frustration and anger. It's totally natural that you both will feel frustrated about this change.
However, keep in mind that your child may need you to set the tone. Show them that you can handle the feelings and they can too. You can do this by modeling positive coping skills with them, like taking deep breaths and talking about your feelings. Remember, they need you to show acceptance and care more than they need to finish the assignment.
Conclusion
Ideally, the online schooling transition will become easier with time. You both need some time to figure things out, and you're learning together. As you utilize some of the tips from this article, such as finding ways to keep motivations higher, build in breaks, and battle those fidgeting urges, you can have a successful experience.
