Millions of U.S. parents continue to struggle with managing their child’s education during the pandemic. The shutdowns in many states forced parents to balance their jobs and homes and take on the role of additional teacher. As the pandemic continues and kids continue to learn from school, parents need additional resources to help them navigate this turbulent time. Organizations such as BCFS Health and Human Services provide valuable advice for parents that reflects the company’s years of experience serving kids and parents in a variety of ways.
Kids learn their best when they are free from outside distractions, whether it’s an Xbox game or a pestering sibling. Parents and their kids should work together to find dedicated spaces for learning that remove most distractions and help the child perform their best. Parents can assist their kids by clearing off desk space or setting up their kids with an outdoors quiet area that’s away from other household noises. Once parents are confident their child has a good quiet space, that frees up more of their time for their jobs or housework, instead of constantly pushing the student back to learning.
Besides a dedicated space to learn, students at home also need expectations and guidelines to help them succeed. Parents can set expectations for their kids that complement their class schedule. So if they have five hours of instruction time, they can set reasonable goals for homework and study. For expectations, parents can talk to their kids about the effort level they want to see, as well as any grade levels. By setting attainable goals, parents keep their kids on track, and can establish a baseline where they can intervene if their child starts falling behind. BCFS Health and Human Services CSD recommends parents structure their student’s day, but also be willing to adapt to new circumstances and provide some leeway to kids who are doing their best under stressful circumstances.
To break up the routines of the school day, parents can also add some fun learning exercises to their child’s at-home curriculum. This could include talks about budgeting and personal finance to prep kids for being on their own. Most kids enjoy dessert, so parents could work together with their kids to bake cakes or cookies, so they’re learning how to cook while also enjoying a treat.
