Following the announcement of continued restrictions in Greater Sydney, parents are preparing their children for online learning next week.

Schools in Greater Sydney are set to move to online learning for the commencement of Term 3 after the Premier announced an extension of the current stay-at-home order in place for the area.

The announcement comes after a number of new infections were identified, many of which were active in the community while infectious. It brings new concern for parents and teachers, who must now face the realities of educating children at home. So how can you prepare your kids for what’s to come? We’ve put together some simple tips to get the most out of online learning.

Keep A Routine

A routine is key to the success of any school day, so trying your best to replicate a similar routine for your kids at home will make your life easier! If you are also working from home, creating a day plan each evening and putting a clock somewhere visible will mean that older kids are able to self-direct their learning more easily throughout the day without the need for constant guidance.

For younger kids, printing out cute visual cues for activities and breaks and putting them on the fridge in order each day will mimic the kind of instructions they are familiar with from school and help them feel more settled.

Don’t Overdo It

Putting in a six-hour school day is just unrealistic for both parents and kids, even at high school level. Unless your child is about to sit their HSC, condensing their daily task list will avoid them losing interest and ensure they are engaged for their dedicated learning time.

Most schools that are using Zoom and other platforms to deliver instructions will also usually present a shorter school day (we really feel for teachers at the moment!) so you can set aside two focused blocks in the morning and encourage active play and exercise in the afternoon.

Prioritise Quiet Time

In a normal school day, there is often time set aside for quiet reading, study, and even meditation. These are super important in helping you manage the shift to online learning as they lock in some downtime for parents and kids, and reduce the stress of operating a makeshift classroom at home.

Pop on a couple of short yoga videos (we LOVE the Cosmic Kids Yoga ones!) or some relaxing music and encourage your kids to take time to independently decompress. It will give you just about enough time to make a cuppa and eat something too!

Be Kind

Tensions will be at an all time high during the online school experience, especially with the challenges of technology, space, and everyone being at home all at the same time (how often does that happen!). Remember to be kind to one another, have patience, and build in some fun family time at the end of each day to reward yourselves for getting through!

Board games and movies are classic but simple ways to take the pressure off, have a laugh, and remind the whole family that this, too, shall pass!

How are you feeling about returning to online learning? Are you from another state that has done it and have tips to share? Let us know in the comments!

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