The pandemic has meant virtual classes for your kids. While some might find the transition easy, many don’t. If you’re one of the multitudes of parents who now struggle to learn how to use online programs and tools to help your kids through their classes, don’t worry, you’re not alone. Many parents who send their kids to global Indian international school are facing the same situation at home, lamenting the fact that it feels like they’ve gone back to school too.
Still, given the current situation that Covid-19 has put populations around the globe into, things aren’t going to back to normal—not anytime soon, maybe not ever. The best way to move forward then is to prepare yourself, to accept the fact that this situation will last. That said, you’ll need all the help you can get. Here are tips to help you provide the assistance that your kids need.
Be Patient
That’s going to be key. Things won’t always work out. You might have practiced logging into the class. You and your kids are ready. But then the link refuses to work and your kids end up missing their first class of the day. Let it go. That’s not the only problem that’s going to happen. It won’t be the first or the last you’ll encounter. Take these things in stride and work on getting a resolution, always. The goal is to get through this. Why does this matter and how will this help your child? Remember that your kids take their cue from you. If you’re calm, if you’re able to process what’s happening positively, then that has a huge impact on how your kids will approach their classes and current events, too. Monkey see, monkey do. So, whatever you feel, make sure you’re in control so that your kids will follow suit. And by in control, make sure you don’t resort to senseless anger to vent out your frustrations about what’s happening. Work on your patience.
Be Honest
Your kids will ask what’s going to happen. You could try to sugarcoat the truth and tell them that everything would be all right. But if your kids are already at school, a little bit of honesty won’t hurt. Tell them you don’t know what’s going to happen and that’s okay. What you do know is this: that you’ll need to be ready for whatever happens. Show them that while you’re uncertain and afraid of what the future might bring, you’re not letting those emotions—fear and anxiety—win. That way, they know that it’s okay to be afraid. But it’s also important to be calm, to still think logically even when you’re afraid. If they bring that trait to adulthood, then you’ll be raising well-adjusted, self-possessed, and mature children. Having those kids in school will be a boon to any teacher as well.
Encourage Engagement
Make the online classes more engaging. Help them study by shuffling from one subject to another to keep boredom from setting in. If your children spend hours studying a single subject, that could be taxing or tiring for them. Remind your kids to shift to a different topic when they’re tired. You can also show more videos about the topic to help improve engagement levels. Let your kids talk about what they learned in class during mealtimes or after the sessions are done for the day. Talking about what they learned isn’t just family dinner conversation. It helps them retain the information and helps you stay up to date on what’s happening during those online sessions.
Focus on Takeaways
It’s not on the number of hours that your kids spend on a topic that will get them to learn the subject by heart. Rather, it’s the amount of hard work and concentration that’s been poured into the project. It also depends on the learning method used and the ability of your child to take in information. There are plenty of factors that need to be considered, too. That means you shouldn’t focus on exams alone as a way to gauge your child’s intelligence levels. There are other teaching methods or styles. Your child might respond better to them and as a result, render a better performance at school.
Have Fun
The current situation has brought about massive life changes to many people all the world over. But don’t let that get in the way of your kids learning or in your way of helping your children and providing them with the best possible options in life. Find ways to have fun in your home with your family. It will take a long time for the rest of the world to be all right. But at least you can count on having your loved ones as you try and navigate your way through the online classes with your kids.
