Take it one day at a time.
There will be rough days, but remember everyone (parents and kids) are adjusting. Kids have been thrown for a loop this year and don’t have a sense of stability and familiarity. They don’t know what’s coming next and adjusting to many, rapid, changes can be hard on some kids. They may act out or refuse to work. Have patience and a continuous, open dialogue where you can talk through their concerns and feelings and help them work through the changes.
Keep to a similar schedule if you can.
Keeping the same bedtimes, wake times, meal times etc. and expecting kids to get dressed and complete their morning routine before starting school will help them adjust faster. Routines tell us what to expect next and help us to transition between activities. For kids, that’s really important! Keeping a schedule and routines similar to what they experience during “normal” school periods will help them get into the school mindset, know what’s expected of them, and predict what is going to happen next so they can feel prepared and transition easily.
Be mindful of what your child hears you say.
This is a very frustrating time for all of us and as parents, sometimes we need to vent. Be mindful of what you say within your child’s earshot. If they hear you speaking negatively about online school and/or their teacher(s), they’re likely to internalize that negativity and it can cause them to disengage. If you’re positive in your words about online learning, your child is more likely to have a growth mindset and look at the challenges of online learning as something that they can work to overcome, which will lead to greater success. Make sure you celebrate their accomplishments when they succeed! Overall, try to stay positive, even if you feel there isn’t much to be positive about, at least while your child can hear you!
Don’t wait to ask for help!
This year students are trying to catch up the missed learning from the spring and move forward with their learning at the same time. That isn’t an easy task! If your child seems to be struggling, get help right away to avoid the problem compounding and getting out of hand. It may only take a few tutoring sessions to get them back on track and it’s better to get the help as soon as you notice a problem than to let them fall further behind!
How Tutor Doctor Can Help
Our personalized tutoring solutions can help you build structure and normalcy into your child’s schedule this year without taking on the extra workload yourself – whether your student is going to school full-time, part-time or online. Contact us today to see how our tutoring solutions can support your student this year.
