Kids can be testing, which is why most parents are almost too glad to drop them off at school everyday and slightly less happy to pick them up. With the ongoing situation, however, parents are challenged to maintain their sanity by being expected to work from home and manage their children at the same time. Feels like we should have at least been given a fair warning about this before entering motherhood. This seems impossible, but with the right approach, you can not only stay sane but also ensure that you all stay productive throughout the quarantine. Here‘s how to go about it:
Create A Schedule
The first thing you should consider is creating a schedule that will be followed by everyone from the beginning of your workday to the end. It should be detailed to explain what should be done at what time. Even though your work schedule may not be the same as the one for your children, you should use similar timing so that no one is distracting someone else when they are working or studying.
One way to go about it is to create a timetable starting at the time when your children should start studying to the time they should finish. It could be right after breakfast, or you could allow them to take a short break before beginning. Each child should then be assigned a manageable amount of study work with a target set for the end of the day. Younger children should have less work and shorter timelines, seeing as the concentration span is shorter than that of older children.
Take Plenty of Breaks
Breaks are the key to keeping the children in good spirit. If you let them work for too long, they will lose their concentration and will soon be distracted. Please give them a manageable amount of work to be completed in a short period, say an hour. Let them take a short break without your interference so they can play, rest and interact freely. You can let them play a video game, get some screen time, go out and stretch a little while getting some fresh air as long as they do not extend the break for too long. While they take their break, make sure you don’t get distracted from your work. You can have the eldest supervise them or check in on them every once in a while. The pandemic has made it risky just to grab the baby and the nappy bag in such breaks and go around the block for some ice cream, but you can always find other fun ways to spend this break time with your kids.
Make it fun
If the study time becomes too dull, the children will probably lose concentration and get distracted. Do not expect your five-year-old to colour a book for more than an hour without noticing the toys, food or something else that will look more fun. If you keep telling them to focus on their books, they may look at it as something you are forcing them to do and ultimately lose interest. They may even start rebelling, and you will have to stop working and deal with it.
To make learning more fun, include the use of audio-visual instruments such as the TV or a tablet. There’s plenty of educational content that can be streamed online with excellent music and graphics to make learning fun. You can also them and help them with their work in a fun way, such as the inclusion of games and fun challenges for them to solve. If you don’t have time for this because of your work, you can have your partner or someone else help.
Reward them
Motivation is an essential aspect for any effort. The same way better pay would motivate you to do your work better is the same way your children will also need an incentive to sit down and do the work you asked them to. Threatening them with punishment and telling them things they won’t understand like how it is essential for their future will not help. You will need to give them an incentive in the form of something they will want for them to complete their assignments.
Children love treats, so these would be perfect. You can let them buy the favourite ice cream after a long day of good work, offer to prepare the favourite meal for supper, add some time to their break time or take them to the park or somewhere lovely over the weekend. You could buy them something they‘ve always wanted. You will never run out of ideas on how to motivate your children as long as you don’t rely too much on it to get work done.
Get in touch with the child‘s teachers
When studying from home, the teachers are not there for the regular supervision and learning methods that the children are used to. They may have a hard time adjusting to this new normal. It would be helpful if you got in touch with their teachers and ask for advice on how to go about it. You can find out more about the coursework and the best way to get it done. You can also hear about the child‘s academics and the best way to tailor-make their learning experience so that they get the best out of it.
In conclusion, children may be a handful ad when not managed well, can get in the way of your work. These tips will help you plan things o they work out for both sides. If you feel like you still can‘t get around this, feel free to ask for help from someone experienced with kids. You can get a home tutor who will work with the kids as you get your work done.
