Tips and Tricks for Online Schooling
What a different, unexpected school year it is going to be, with a lot of uncertainties, but what we do know is that we are preparing for online schooling.
As I had promised, I am going to share some tips on how to set up for online school. Some of you may have started school, while others will be starting soon.
Do share any ideas that may help other parents.
- Create a study area
Creating a study area that is distraction-free is the key for kids to focus and succeed. Choose an area where it is secluded, yet you can keep an eye on your kids and is quiet enough. You also want to make sure that the lighting in the room is not too dark or not too bright since you don’t want them straining their eyes.
With single kids, it is quite easy to choose an area. However, when you have multiple kids, it becomes tricky because you do not want to be running up and down between the kids.
I have three kids who all have different teachers. Therefore, I am going to have one in the computer room, one in my bedroom, and the other in another room which are all downstairs. Thus, it is easier for me to keep an eye on them and listen to them.
Even for kids, it will help them become more organized with their stuff since it will all stay in one place instead of being everywhere.
- Grab pair of headphones
Headphones are a must since it will help cancel out noises and any distraction. You do not have to get too fancy, but you do want to make sure the headphones have a good enough cushion so their ears don’t start hurting by the end of the day. I love these Target headphones, only $5! They have a lot of cushion, block out quite a lot of noise, and are of great quality. They also have foldable headphones and come in different colors.
- Laptops
Most likely, your district will provide you with a laptop specifically designed for school use only. However, if you do not have a school assigned laptop, then I would suggest getting a laptop or use an old laptop at home for strictly school use. This means that there are no games or any apps on the laptop which shall distract them. When the laptop is assigned by the district, kids are not able to download apps or games that are not school-related. Thus, the less distraction, the better for kids.
- Monitoring the kids
Monitoring screen time will be hard since kids are on a schedule. However, as a parent, you can monitor whether your kid is getting bored, is being attentive or not, is understanding the material, or is engaging in the class discussion. Then you can contact the teacher and work out a solution so your child does not fall behind.
- Planning is the key
Whether you are a working parent, stay home parent, or working from home, I strongly believe the key to overcoming this online way of schooling is through planning. Since you may know your kids’ schedule, then you can plan your schedule according to that. For instance, if you know their lunch break is at a certain time, then you can have lunch ready at that time. Or if you are working, then you can arrange your lunchtime to be the same as kids which will make it easier for you.
By planning for the week or planning for a day at a time, it will help you stay ahead of the game and you will not be stressed out trying to figure out things last minute. You also want some me-time for yourself so you are not burnt out.
I like to involve kids in my planning. I will lay out their and my options and ask them ‘how to plan the day accordingly.’ You will be surprised, but they will come up with ideas where they get their time with me and I get my me-time also.
- Activities and Exercises
Last, but not least, it is very important for kids to get a break from all the screen time. During their break, you can have them do various exercises such as running few laps around the backyard or have them do body stretches. Some stretches are rotating the neck, bending up and down, doing side twists.
You can also have your kids do some yoga poses like sun salutation, mountain pose, tree pose, or warrior pose. You can also create a mini exercise station with doing 15 jump ropes, doing 10 situps or 10 pushups, or have a balancing game with things around the house. This will help them feel energized and not drained out by being on the computer.
Also, after classes are done for the day, I feel it is better to not give any more screen time. Why not have them play outdoors in the backyard or have kids cook with you by preparing for dinner or have a family game night. You can do arts and crafts or go for a walk or yoga or workout to get some exercise in. There are a lot of different activities you can do with your kids. This will help create a more balanced structure for kids and will help them get less screen time.
Here are few sites which have stretches for kids:
Fun and Simple Stretches for Kids – talks about the various stretches and how to do them.
Top 15 Stretching Exercises For Kids – Has a lot of yoga poses that are good for kids.
SUPER SIMPLE STRETCHES For Kids & Gymnasts – A Youtube video on stretching the body.
This is a challenge for parents, teachers, districts, and everyone we know. It is also not the best situation we would prefer, but given the situation, we can learn to make the best of it and make it easier on ourselves by having some tips and tricks.
One thing, I do suggest is talking to other parents which will allow us to open up for suggestions and who knows what works for other parents, may work for us too.
Don’t forget to share your tips and tricks!
