As families settle in to finishing up this school year remotely, lots of challenges may arise. One big one is getting your kids to do the work! This can be challenging for lots of reasons, and one big one is the stress that most families are under these days because of the pandemic situation.
One thing that I strongly recommend is to establish a routine, if you haven’t already done so. Treat weekdays like schooldays: everyone up and dressed by a certain time, start schoolwork at a certain time, have regular breaks, and even have “recess”. Routines are comforting for most kids and even adults, and they can help us all focus a little better, too.
I understand that there are challenges with even creating a routine, especially if one or more parents/caregivers have to work out of the home or work from home. It’s important to keep in mind that it’s OK not to do it perfectly! And to get in touch with your child’s teacher if your child’s schedule doesn’t match the class schedule.
Another idea is to have a reward system. While this may not be something that you would do under “normal” circumstances, working from home can be harder for everyone, especially kids. So having a regular reward system can be helpful; some suggestions are after a certain amount of time doing schoolwork, rewards can be to play a game (yes, take a break with your kids!), spend a half hour playing a video game, having some free time to go outside, play or relax, have a yummy treat, etc. You know your kids best, so you’ll know how much time for them to spend doing schoolwork and taking breaks is appropriate. And don’t forget to give yourself breaks too! ~ Stacey Langknecht
Stacey Langknecht is a Parent & Family Liaison at The Brick House, the Family Engagement Coordinator at GMRSD, and serves as Co-Chair of the Communities that Care’s Parent Education Workgroup.