The school year for 2020-2021 is going to be a unique one, to say the least. With the global health crisis, more schools are opting to do remote learning in some fashion — whether that be a full virtual school year or some hybrid of that and in-person learning. It's going to be one of the first times the kids learn in this way and one of the first we as parents have to adjust how we help them along the way. Coming ready with parenting hacks to make the time go by smoother is one way to get through this with some calmness still in our lives.
While remote learning isn't going to be the ideal situation for everyone, there are ways to make it work and we've always reminded ourselves that we can get through the hard stuff. The main thing we need to be able to do this is to be kind with ourselves, let go of that perfectionist voice in our heads, and hold on to the belief that everything is going to work out. Who knows, maybe it will be discovered that the kids love this method of learning? Or we love having more involvement in their education to a slightly larger degree?
If the kids are going to be learning remotely for some or all of the upcoming school year, here are 15 parenting hacks that will help them (and us) get through this together.
Make a Schedule and Stick to It
There's a huge myth that working from home is so easy with all the luxuries, and we bet the kids felt that way when it was announced they'd be doing remote learning. The reality of it is that it's hard to get motivated to start the day when there's less structure. To keep things flowing and get our kids to start their work, make a realistic schedule and stick to it.
Turn Snacks Into a Lesson
We know from trying to work at home with kids that one of the more frustrating aspects is the fact that they're asking for a snack every 20 minutes. It feels like the kids are getting distracted by the proximity to the kitchen and it's a struggle to get them to focus. This hack has parents turning their kid's snack requests into a lesson, too. If they're going to want 40 snacks in the day, they'll have to work for it.
Keep the Lunch Boxes
During in-person school, parents may hate making the daily lunches to take to school the next day, but what parents will quickly realize now is that time saved in the morning or before bed will save a lot of time later. So pack their lunch the night before, like usual. Build it into the schedule to eat a snack at the same time they did in person, and lunch, too.
Color Code the Schedule
We've covered that having a schedule for remote learning is important — well, it's equally important to make sure the kids know what to expect, too. If their schedule is dictated by the remote school, have an easily readable color-coded schedule at home so they can follow along and know which class they're to be working on at any given time.
Make the Desk a Fort
We all know that kids can have a hard time sitting still and for some, the idea of sitting for long periods of time at a desk is hard at school. It's not going to be any easier for them to do that at home, so make it easier for everyone by using some creativity. Forgo the typical desk and instead use a fort that is purchased or made with blankets and couch pillows. It will get the kids excited to sit in their fort and get to work.
Have an Organized Hub for Their Stuff
At school, the kids had one place for all their stuff to go and that's going to be a huge help to do something similar at home. While there's no need for a backpack for virtual learning, it will help if everyone has their work organized and they know where to find everything they need for their school day.
Set Up a Digital Charging Station
With remote learning comes the need to have all the devices. Whether it's an iPad, a Chromebook, or anything similar, these all require charging and having one hub for recharging at the end of the school day will save a lot of time during the already pressed-for-time school days.
Get a Large Timer the Kids Can See
Most of us have a timer on our phone that we use on a regular for parenting, and while that works, the issue with using our phones for school time is the kids are going to ask us a hundred times how much time is left. Save the trouble and get a large timer that all the kids can see. This can be used to mark how much time is left before snack or break time or the last assignment of the day.
Organize the Supplies
With the kids doing their schoolwork remotely, we're going to have to be a lot more organized with all the stuff they're going to need to complete their work. The last thing we want is to be running late for their first class and having to spend the time trying to find the required pencils, pens, and markers. This hack is a great way to organize it all without having it take up too much space.
Use Carts So Things Can Be Put Away
One thing many parents who work from home say is a struggle is that if there's not a dedicated space or somewhere to put the work away to when the day is over and the home time is supposed to begin. This means the lines and boundaries get blurred. Having a cart that can house all the school stuff and can be wheeled into the closet or to a corner when the day is done or the weekend is here is one way to help place the boundary and allow the kids to relax when it's time.
Get Creative With Small Spaces
Some people aren't set up for the perfect virtual learning situation and that means we have to make do with what we have. If all there is space for is the kitchen table and there are three kids trying to get schoolwork done, find some cardboard (from all those Amazon deliveries) and set up a mobile desk space. This gives all the kids a touch of privacy and help avoid distractions.
Get Up, Get Dressed, and Keep That Routine
While this may not seem like a practical hack, it's one that is going to make the day so much more bearable for the parents and the kids. While the perk of staying at home for school means no uniform or having to get dressed, that's going to eventually become a challenge with motivation to get the work done. By keeping one another accountable and getting that morning routine set in stone, there's going to be so much more energy for the day.
Drown Out the Noise
For virtual learning, often kids will be expected to participate in some form of video call — like a Zoom meeting or a Google call. If there are house noises that are distracting, using white noise to drown out the other sounds can make the call less distracting for everyone else.
Take Lots of Breaks
It's going to be our instinct to want to have our kids sit for hours to get through their work faster, but this isn’t the best plan for their learning — or anyone's sanity. Instead of trying to cram all the work in a shorter amount of time, take a small break every 30 to 40 minutes — work smarter, not harder. The kids will be more likely to retain what they have just learned, and it won't be such a fight to get them to complete it.
If the Kids Are Old Enough, Keep Paper Near By
Most virtual learning seems to be centered on computer usage and video conference calls and live lessons. With this in mind, having pens and paper handy for any of these meetings, the older kids will be more likely to keep notes during the class — these can be used to jot down ideas, questions for the end of the lesson, or reminder notes on what needs to be done. This is going to help them stay organized and less likely to miss something important.
