5 Tips for helping your kids stay organized and balanced whether school is in person or virtual

School can be a struggle. Add in the turmoil from the pandemic and virtual learning creates a whole new level of chaos. Regardless, education is important, so how do you help your kids establish healthy habits around schoolwork, so they can continue on and succeed?

Here are 5 tips to orchestrate a good environment for your children’s schoolwork whether they are in the classroom or working virtually from your kitchen table:

1. Keep a schedule. This may seem like a no-brainer, but we had to mention it. This schedule will establish a routine and create norms, especially in changing environments like remote and in-person schooling. We also know that routines help decrease anxiety and stress while also creating structure, which like it or not , kids thrive on. The simple act of getting up around the same time daily and completing the same tasks like brushing your teeth help establish healthy habits for the future. The routine doesn’t have to be hard and can 100% be predictable. Don’t forget about the Hearth routine builder, which can give your kids autonomy in the morning, allowing you more time with your coffee. If you want more inspiration on routines, check out this post on mastering your family morning routine and this post on books to help with your children’s daily routine.
2. Encourage friendships. Learning how to have and be a friend can be tough. Virtual learning makes this even harder. Make time for play dates or classmate zoom calls so your child won’t miss out on this important time for social interaction. Fostering school friendships also gives kids a reason to look forward to going to school, especially if the learning aspect isn’t exactly their favorite.
3. Ask for help. In these uncertain times, virtual learning can put a strain on your adult life, in addition to the lives of your kids. Allow your child to see you ask for and receive help so they know it is okay. Learning how to request assistance is a really important lesson and best when learned early on. Let them know that it is good to ask others for help whether it is with figuring out feelings or with homework. This will also flex their empathy muscle which will serve them well as years go by.
4. Take a break. Even more so when virtual learning, your kids need to be able to take a break. Much like working from home, learning from home has its issues. We can barely separate our workday from our previous haven from it all - kids feel the same regarding remote learning. Have them get up and stretch or step outside into the sunshine and jump around. Better yet, schedule these breaks so they will happen! Maybe even schedule longer times for movement, like a walk around the block. You can never start too early instilling a practice of movement and a healthy mind-body relationship. This is great to expose them to now, as it will help them avoid burnout in the future.

Good luck for the upcoming school year. You’ve got this!

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