2020 was hard going, more so if you were a parent and you were trying to take care of your kids as well as provide them with home schooling and the bad news is that 2021 isn’t looking much better.
We have started the year with a whole new round of home schooling and whilst we know that this time it isn’t forever, that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t be doing all we can to ensure that our children have the best education possible whilst they are away from school.
No parent is going to be an instant expert in schooling their child, however, there are some things that every parent can do to make things that little bit easier and to help their child with online learning.
Make sure that you have the right equipment
One of the first things that you need to do is to make sure that you have the right equipment to enable your child to learn from home. The most basic things that you are going to need is a PC or a laptop and a stable internet connection. You also need to make sure that you have word processing software such as Google Docs or MS Word.
If you don’t have this equipment, then you can speak to your school as they may be able to help or at least point you in the right direction.
Set up the right space for them
The next thing that you need to think about is to ensure that your child has an adequate working space. This isn’t always easy to do and can be even harder if you have more than one child to think about at home. It is best to have a separate room from the front room or the bedroom, however, if this isn’t possible then you can also set up anywhere that you have the room.
It is vital that your child has a table and a chair to work at and they should have a good level of lighting too. Whilst you should be aiming to have minimal distractions in the space, it is a good idea to have a clock, which will allow them to keep a track of the time.
Keep to a routine
Routines are key for any child and whilst it isn’t always possible to be rigid with your timings, if you can this is a good idea for your child. Having a routine means that a child will know what is happening and what is happening next, putting their mind at rest. It also gives your day some structure, which can make it more manageable for you as a parent when perhaps you are trying to learn from home too.
Encourage them to take breaks
Even the keenest of learners needs to be able to take a break from time to time. Which means that you, as a parent, should be encouraging this. Breaks are even more important when the majority of the learning is online and on a screen. Too much screen time can have an impact on children, and make them incredibly tired.
Breaks should be regular and should be a good amount of time. This makes sure that they have the chance to be away from their learning and to relax and recharge.
Have fun
It can be all too easy to focus on studying and studying alone when you are home schooling. This can lead to frustration from you as a parent, as well as making your child feel sad and tired. This means that it is incredibly important to do whatever you can to have fun. It might be hard to do, but, as a parent it is vital that you take the time to enjoy time with your child like you used to, away from home schooling.
Take a walk, go to the park, play football or plan an arts and crafts activity. All things that take you away from the school environment and allow you both to spend time together like you normally would.
Don’t try to be an expert
It is important to remember that you are not a teacher, that you are not going to be able to teach your children as a teacher would. You may be able to advise them on some of the key aspects of their learning and offer them support where you can. But things should end there.
Even with your best efforts, there are going to be times when you are not going to be able to help. Rather than beating yourself up for what you can’t do. Remind yourself of all the good things that you are doing and the ways that you are helping your child to achieve great things.
Understand where their strengths are
Every child has some aspects of learning that they cope better with than others. As a parent we may see our child and what they can do through rose-tinted glasses, but it is important to remember that each child has their own strengths. Encourage them to develop those strengths as well as exploring the things that they might not be as good at. That way you can ensure that they have a well-rounded education and that they improve in all areas.
Be patient
We leave you with one of the most important things that you can do as a parent who is trying to teach their child from home. Be patient. It is easy to lose your temper, it is easy to get frustrated with how things are going, however, it is vital that you keep your patience. If you do find yourself getting frustrated, then you need to take a step back.
We can promise you that feeling this way isn’t going to help you or your child. So, take a step back and think about the situation that you are in. It isn’t ideal, it isn’t perfect and best of all, it isn’t forever.
