Half- Term is over!
That was a much needed break. Whew! And it certainly has been eventful with schools adopting remote learning. How has it been for parents?
It definitely hasn't been easy and I can say that again and again! With 3 kids ages, 9, 6 and 5, I am literally pulling out my hair. At the end of each day, I am drained, wow! But its definitely the new normal. The Half-Term was definitely a much needed break and now its back to remote learning/ home learning.
How to cope with the stress of home learning, if you are new to it like I am;
Create a homeschooling schedule: I would recommend that you replicate the regular breaks children would normally have at school. Following the school time-table helps normalise it for kids. A well defined schedule helps and its okay to spice it up to make it more fun for them :). Note: Don't be to regimented! If kids get tired ; it's okay to take a break :)
Play time is necessary: They need this more now. Let them play and have fun.
Reward them to motivate them: Class Dojo is a good tool I use to encourage kids. Giving them reward points keeps them motivated and makes learning fun for them.
Involve your kids: Hey! Their world as they know it has changed and it helps if they are involved. Find out how school work is going, are they getting on okay?
BE KIND TO YOURSELF!: This is important. A bit of self love, me time is required. It's been 2 terms of home-schooling and for Mothers like me who had no prior experience, its been an interesting experience. I wonder how Parents who home school their children do it? Lots of patience and discipline required. It has been a learning experience for me but much as I love my kids, I am definitely rooting for schools to re-open.
It is very okay to accept that you aren't coping. It definitely doesn’t make you a bad parent. With all the housework and working from home, you do, its okay to take a step back and say; "Hey, I need a break!" or "Hi, I need support".
My advice for Parents: Do everything at your own pace :)
Comments