As the world went into lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, parents everywhere were immediately faced with the overwhelming challenge of balancing childcare, the online schooling of their children and their own jobs.
Providing adequate support to your children with regards to virtual education can surely be a daunting task.
At The Kalyani School, we continuously strive to help our students and their parents to facilitate their overall development and education. Hence, with an aim to enable parents to support their children during their virtual lessons, we’ve curated a list of tips that can help.
Try to develop a schedule to instill a sense of normalcy for your child. Also, factor in playtime and reading time. Use daily tasks with your kids, as learning experiences. And do not forget, when possible, come up with these plans together.
While it is incredibly important for children and young people to set up a schedule and have order, you will find that your children require an amount of versatility in these times. Switch up activities for them. Flip to a more active choice if your child appears anxious and agitated while you are attempting to help them complete their homework. Do not forget that it is perfect for the growth of fine and gross motor skills to prepare and do house chores together safely. Try and stay as attuned to their needs as possible.
Encourage your kids to ask questions and share with you, their thoughts. Mind that your child can have various stress responses, so be vigilant and knowledgeable. Start by inviting your child to discuss any problems that they are facing. Find out how much they really know and follow their lead. Discuss safe standards for sanitation. To emphasize the value of frequent and detailed hand-washing, you should use everyday moments. Ensure that you are in a comfortable atmosphere and encourage your child to communicate openly. Drawing, stories and other activities can help open a discussion.
Try not to diminish their worries or avoid them. Make sure to consider their feelings and tell them that feeling frightened about these things is normal. Show that by giving them your full attention, you’re listening, and make sure they understand that they can speak to you and their teachers anytime they want. Alert them of false news and urge them to use trusted sources of knowledge such as WHO guidance.
Online platforms provide children with a chance to continue learning and stay in contact with their peers by attending their virtual classes. Yet, expanded internet access brings increased risks to the welfare, protection and privacy of children. Speak to your kids about the internet so that they know how it works and what they need to be aware of.
Put guidelines together for how, when and what to access on the internet. Set up parental controls, particularly for younger children, on their devices to minimize online threats. Groups such as Common Sense Media provide recommendations on age-appropriate applications, sports and other multimedia content to define appropriate online leisure resources. Be familiar with the school and other local monitoring systems in situations of cyberbullying, objectionable online material, and keep in handy numbers of support helplines and hotlines.
To ensure you’re able to support your child, it’s crucial for you to constantly stay in touch with your child’s teachers. Ask them about the on-going curriculum and communicate any issues that you or your child are facing.
It’s important to understand that your child is most likely confused about this new lifestyle. It’s crucial to guide them through this process. If you’re facing any challenges, our staff is more than happy to help you. After all, the only way to survive these tough times is by fighting together!
