Home Schooling: Tips for Parents

Are you a parent that is dreading this new journey of “Homeschooling/Virtual Learning”?

This is a totally normal feeling, as it is not familiar territory for the most. For Homeschooling to be effective, Parents must be actively involved, keeping it in mind that they might be working from home as well. 

How do you create a balance? 

After our previous article on homeschooling tips during the lockdown, we have decided to come up with more outlined tips on how you as the parent can operate a more effective homeschooling atmosphere for your kids. 

Here are some tips to get you through Homeschooling: 

• Talk to your Child about Home Schooling. 

• Create a dedicated workspace solely for learning. It should be away from distractions (TV, phones).

• Maintain a daily routine: Create a sense of normalcy for your child. Wake your child up the same time as he/she would if going to school, have breakfast,  and get ready for learning. 

• Communication with Teachers: Speak to them about assistance or guidance you might need and complaints. 

• If you are working from home, make sure your schedule (meetings, deadlines) does not clash with learning time. 

• Help your child manage emotional wellness as well as yours, It’s a new experience and might be hard to adapt to. Do not put pressure on your child to reach certain expectations, do not put pressure on yourself as well, take it one step at a time. 

• Allow Frequent check-ins with teachers and fellow peers, it will give a sense of connection with the outside world for your child.

• Ensure that your child takes breaks between learning, lunch breaks, and engages in physical activities. 

• Create a to-do list of everything you want to do daily, to have a sense of productivity.

• Maintain your emotional wellness by managing work time effectively, Eating healthy, exercising, and getting a good amount of sleep.

We must also remember to be safety conscious while Home Schooling. Digital Safety Essentials are important safety measures for computer use. They are:

1. Wires and cables should be covered safely in a cable trunk, and not within the reach of children. They should not be left laying carelessly on the floor, to avoid trips and falls.
2. Electrical sockets should be covered to reduce the risk of electrocution
3. Strict rules on no eating and drinking by the computer.
4. Only use websites that are child friendly.
5. Ask parents permission before use. Parents should block or hide inappropriate content.
6. Safe sitting arrangement (ergonomics).

Good luck!