Today’s article is brought to you by Cherie McLauglin at www.couchbasedbiz.com
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In the age of the coronavirus, distance learning has been a lifesaving tool for the education of our children. Without online learning, billions of children around the world would have missed out on several months of schooling amid coronavirus-induced lockdowns and school closures. And while distance learning certainly has its challenges and drawbacks — especially for working parents or families without access to the internet — there are some steps we can take to adjust to this new normal and prepare our households for the school year ahead. To discover four of them, read on!
1. Plan Games and Activities
If you’ll be working from home while your kids participate in remote learning this school year, you’ll need to start planning a few games and activities to keep your little ones entertained whenever they’re not preoccupied with their school work. Christine Field of Real Mom Life shares a plethora of activities, games, and tips for parents on her website, so be sure to check these out if you’re in need of some inspiration. You can also find educational games and activities online through resources like Scholastic, PBS Kids, and National Geographic Kids.
2. Hire Some Help
Working remotely has its fair share of advantages — especially in the wake of COVID-19 — but it’s not as simple as it sounds when you’ve got children at home who need and rely on you. From nannies and tutors to freelance personal assistants, however, several types of help are available to you if you’re struggling to keep up with your many responsibilities during the pandemic. A freelance personal assistant, for instance, can help to lighten your administrative workload during the pandemic — as these professionals offer services such as:
- Appointment scheduling.
- Making and returning phone calls.
- Sending and responding to emails.
When hiring a freelance professional to help with administrative tasks such as these, or other things such as nannying, babysitting, and/or tutoring your children, you won’t be responsible for paying employment taxes — which is just one benefit of working with a freelancer. Plus, you can use your freelancer’s services whenever they’re most needed — even if it’s just for a few hours each week.
3. Establish a Routine
If you’ll be working from home with your kids throughout the 2020-2021 school year, a daily routine will be essential to your sanity and productivity. And to help you establish a routine that works for you and the rest of your household, Katherine Fluor of Camille Styles Inc. shares two sample schedules for work-from-home parents to follow each day — complete with time slots for breakfast, lunch, dinner, playtime and self-care.
4. Protect Your Tech Devices
In addition to planning a few games and activities, hiring some help, and establishing a daily routine for your household, you’ll need to learn how to protect your tech devices as you rely on the internet for everything from working and learning to streaming movies and television shows. And fortunately, Verizon’s collection of tips and tutorials can help you to stay connected with the world around you as your family works and learns from home this school year — while also protecting you and your loved ones from online security threats and dangers. These useful tips will provide you with the information you need to protect your kids online, extend the battery life of your family’s tech devices, and quickly troubleshoot internet connection issues as they arise.
A Final Word
It’ll take some patience and adapting on your part, but these four tips will help you to work from home with your kids as they participate in remote learning this school year. Just don’t forget to take care of your physical, mental, and emotional health — as doing so will help you to be the best parent you can possibly be during this challenging time.
Give a shout out to Cherie at www.couchbasedbiz.com
