5 Steps for Preparing & Dealing with Online Schooling

It is about that time. Whether it is already started or coming up, online schooling for our children has changed our lives. First off, thank you, teachers, so much because Lord knows I had no idea how hard your job was (cue Will Ferrell crying while drinking wine in the movie Get Hard).

No matter if it is a high schooler or a first grader, like my situation, let us ensure that online schooling goes as smoothly as possible.

Preparation

• Clothes: Treat online schooling like regular schooling. Get their clothes out the night before so that they are prepare for the next day. Plus, they will feel like they are looking their best when participating in the Zoom/Google Meetings with their classmates and teachers.
• Meals: Again, treat it like regular schooling. Wake up early, get your children together, and eat breakfast at least 30 minutes before their school starts.
• Supplies: Just because they are doing school online does not mean they do not need school supplies. Ensure they have paper, different notebooks or folders for each class, pencils, sharpeners, and other supplies that are needed for a successful school year.

Schedule

• Chores: Yes, chores are important, but they should be done “after” school. Your children’s primary focus should be school, engaging in their classes, classwork, and learning. Trash, dishes, etc. can wait.
• Breaks: Breaks should already be built into your child’s school schedule. Use these breaks wisely. Encourage your child to walk around, stretch, go to the bathroom, or drink water. Staring at a screen all day can get exhausting.
• Homework: Having an agenda with homework and assignments can really benefit your child. It keeps them accountable and lets them know that they have things due to their teacher. At the end of the school day, go over everything that is due that day.

Adjusting

• Give your child time to adjust. This may not last forever but this is new norm affects all of us. They may have finished the previous year out with online schooling due to COVID-19, but this is different. It is way more structured and it may take time getting used to.

Weekends

• Mental Break: Your child will be pushed mentally and sometimes physically (PE, weightlifting, etc. during their classes) so they may need a brain dump. This is what the weekends are for. Yes, they still need to do their chores, jobs, and be responsible but cut them a break and let them relax a little.
• I usually let my boys play their video games in 30-minute increments so that their brains are not fried. Try to understand that socialization during this time, whether it is through a phone or video game, is especially important. Let us be honest, would you want to be around your parents 24/7 with no friend interaction for 6 months straight? Yea, me neither.

Stay Active

• Incorporate a physical fitness routine into your daily schedule. Whether it is a family evening walk with the dogs, a bike ride, pool time, weightlifting or cardio, having some type of workout every day is important. Not only does physical exercise help to regulate our body, but it also helps to prolong your life, boost your attitude, help reduce stress, and feel the best you can possibly feel.
• Making exercise fun is also important. You know your family, right? What gets them moving? Sometimes we even turn on Pandora to our favorite hits while doing a 30-minute workout and that makes it 10 times better. Do what works best for your family.

Again, this year may look different right now, so let us make the best of it. We may not have control over things that happen to us, but we control how we react to them.