Most parents are consistently involved with their child’s academics. No matter the age of your child you help with homework, ask about their day and stay in touch with teachers. After the Covid-19 pandemic, most schools have decided to shift to virtual learning, which may put pressure on full-time working parents. While some schools are doing a hybrid learning experience where kids are in school two days a week and remote the other three, most parents are presented with a new challenge regarding the level of engagement now required to keep up with their child’s academics.

Every household and parent situation is different and of course dependent on factors like a child’s age and whether or not they have a solid support system to help juggle the schedule. As a fully remote company currently, with many full time working employees we’ve compiled a list of tips that may help during these times.

‍

Consistency with a routine

Children thrive on a routine. They are used to having a structured day at school and ensuring you keep that same structure at home is key to successful day. This is helpful for older kids to keep them on track so that (hopefully) when school resumes back to normal they are still accustomed to waking up early, getting dressed and learning their curriculum. For younger kids in preschool, structure is even more crucial. It’s harder for them to adjust to change and ensuring they have the same schedule for lunch, naps and school work will make your days at home fly by much faster.

Prepare

Make sure as the parent you’re prepared. Teachers have been planning curriculums and its best to make sure you have all of your questions answered before remote learning even goes live. To prepare for school at home some parents have created a room in their house for a “school room” environment and others have created a simple nook in a room for school that may include a desk. Ensuring your child is prepared with all the materials they need and would be using if they were in school will make kicking off the virtual learning process easier.

Adjust your schedule

While it’s not ideal for any fulltime working parent to have to rearrange their schedule, unfortunately during this time it may be necessary. If you know during a certain time of the day your child will need more of your hands on attention, or if in the mornings they will need your help to get technically up and running, carve out those periods in your day and use hours elsewhere to make up for the time you lost. A crucial piece to this working might mean having a conversation with your manager/employer to ensure they know your current situation at home.

Take time for yourself‍

The hustle and bustle of adjusting to a new structure and new way of life isn’t just hard on the children, it’s just as hard on the parents and teachers. It’s important to make sure between a full time job, managing remote learning and keeping the house in order that you take time for yourself. It might mean just a few minutes to read a chapter in a book, getting in a quick workout or having a few minutes out of the house alone, but whatever it may look like for your family, it’s important to take that time.

While every company is different in how they handle full-time working parents with children experiencing virtual learning, we’ve found this list to help our families push through these difficult times. You can learn more about OI Infusion on our website.

‍