How to manage online classes of your children

As the Coronavirus pandemic continues to get more serious across the world are seeing closures of everything from offices to restaurants and bars, and even education systems. Schools across the country have been closed while taking online classes, which has become a major issue for the mothers to manage their work from home together.

Here are a few tips, how to manage your kids online classes:

Limit distraction

You need to limit their use of their devices, other than what is needed to complete their work, until their schoolwork is done. If you choose, you can allow your child to play on a device during a designated break, but make them aware that they only have a limited amount of time until they need to get back to work.

Make space for learning

Many adults have a specific area of the home in which they do work, and it's important that you create a similar space for your child. Your children will achieve their best work in a quiet, comfortable, and dedicated space that is strictly devoted to learning. This space should be a different set-up than where they normally play games or watch television.

Maintain breaks such as snack time and recess

Children will function best if they maintain their routine as close to normal as possible. Setting alarms similar to those they would encounter at school can be helpful for keeping them on a schedule. Around lunch time, encourage them to get up, get some fresh air, go for a walk or bike ride, or have a snack so that they are not sedentary for the entire day.

Allow them to interact with friends via video chats

While it might not be safe for your kids to see their friends in person, you should allow them to interact with them online, beyond social media or text messaging. Video chats are often the closest thing to seeing someone in person, and are a great way to get in social time without endangering yourself or others.

Mix screen time with old school learning mediums

Overuse of screen time can have adverse impacts on young brains, so it's important to mix it up during a time like this. It's likely that your children will want to continue to use a screen of some sort during their breaks from doing work, so it's important to limit screen time by mixing in old school mediums as well.

Keep in touch with other parents

Social distancing is important during this time, but staying in touch with others via virtual communication is very important. Each parent that has a child home is going to be going through a new experience. Check in with other parents to see what they've found effective, and ask if they need help as well.

Don't let your children treat this as a vacation

This time at home might feel like a vacation for your child, but it's important to remind them that their education still comes first. Obligations like class assignments, grades, tests, state exams, SATs, and ACTs aren't going away just because classes have moved online.