5 Tips to Reduce Stress from Remote Learning
Posted: September 30, 2020Who would have thought that parents would have to relearn how to do basic math skills with their children during a time where children stay home and learn remotely? As a parent of two boys (ages 5 and 11) remote learning has taught me a lot more than basic math lately. I’ve learned that it is nearly impossible to work a full time job and run a classroom in your home at the same time and that my five-year-old will know how to navigate technology better than me in less than a month!
Now that my five-year-old has started Kindergarten remotely this year I am experiencing a lot of anxiety and stress that is caused by a typical day of remote learning with for him. He has a very short attention span, but luckily for me he has already learned how to join his class in Microsoft Teams, mute and unmute himself, electronically raise his hand, pin his teacher and of course change his background. My eleven-year-old who started fifth grade is very independent and really does not need much help with remote learning. He tends to finish his work very fast and then it becomes my responsibility to keep him engaged with his teacher and the other students.
The good thing is that I am not alone in feeling this way as many other parents are going through the same stresses. Whether it is trying to learn how to use the new technology that the school is using for remote learning or trying to adapt to the new ways kids are doing math with sticks and dots. We are expected to do so much right now as parents and these are just a few tips that I want to pass onto other parents for how to reduce the stress caused by the new world we find ourselves in.
1. Organized Workspace
Be sure to have a dedicated workspace for your child that is organized with all their school supplies and whatever they need so they are not getting out of their chair during their time online unless it is a designated break time.
2. Daily Schedule and Checklist
If you can type up a daily schedule of your child’s day so everyone knows what time classes and breaks are, a reminder to check their school email and review assignment due dates. We laminated our weekly schedule and use a white board marker to check things off as we accomplish our tasks.
3. Good Communication with the Teacher
I am inundated with school emails right now and one way I combat that is I’ve set up an automatic rule in my email account to forward all the school emails into a specific folder so that I don’t inadvertently delete them or skip over reading something important. I have found that the teachers appreciate hearing feedback from parents if there are any issues, that way they can help to make remote learning easier for everyone.
4. Relaxation
Take the time to realize that working full time and being responsible your children’s remote learning is a tough job. You must be able to give yourself a break sometimes. I relax in my hot tub with a book and a glass of wine to help alleviate life’s daily stressors. It has to be one of the best purchases I have made, especially now that we have all the time in the world at home together.
5. Student/Parent Daily Review
Schedule a time with your children after a long day to review of their assignments. This will help you stay organized and know what projects they are working on. You will need to learn how to navigate the school platform as well so you can access their assignment list to check their work being submitted.
I know that Aqua Quip can’t help with all of the daily tasks that are required of a full-time working parent that is trying to help their children though remote learning, but when it comes to relaxation they have some of the best hot tubs from industry leading brands. Aqua Quip also knows that you will believe in the power of hydrotherapy once you give it a try. So if you are feeling as stressed out about remote learning as I have been lately, feel free to reach out and schedule a time to test out one of Aqua Quip’s incredible hot tubs.