Making Remote School Special During COVID-19

Today we received another notice that our district will continue to promote remote school for all children in the county. Although I am happy that they are considering the safety of our children and staff, I was devastated as I know my son misses his friends and the in person social interaction that children across the nation are longing for at this time. I made a promise to myself and my child to make the best of this news and show up for school in the upcoming semesters in a meaningful way. I have listed ideas for those of you who may have to spend more time with your children in the home and hope these ideas will help you think of some creative ways to make your child’s remote school experience a special one!

Start with the night before!

At bedtime read a book to build excitement for the next day! I purchased 2 book subscription services at the library where they mail books to exchange. I read to my son, Romeo, around 8pm every weeknight to get him excited and in the right mindset. The goal is to boost up his self-esteem and get him in a confident head space to go out and conquer his challenging days off virtual school.

Allow them to pick out their favorite outfit for school!

Although the child is not leaving the house, they still deserve to dress up and have fun while doing it. Romeo was so excited that he wanted to me to iron his clothes and lay them out the night before sometimes. He even wanted me to iron his underwear and socks because of how cold it is in the morning now that the seasons are changing. Allowing him to pick out exactly what he wanted to wear doubles his excitement about getting on zoom and showing off his cool new shirt or his Halloween costume for the 16th time.

Crank up the Tunes!

Create a playlist of your child’s favorite music. I have an iTunes play list with all of Romeo’s favorite jams. I start his morning off with this playlist to get him hype & excited every morning. You can see him dancing in the mirror in the bathroom brushing his teeth and getting jazzed about the day. His music has also helped me get into a better mood for my workday as well. There is nothing better than some Bruno Mars Uptown Funk to kick off a great day!

Make a Yummy Breakfast!

Pre COVID-19, Romeo and I were running out of the door and he is inhaling a banana and peanut butter sandwich as quickly as he can. But that has changed with remote school. Once a month I am making his favorite breakfast which is bacon, eggs, and pancakes. I have so much more time to make things like grits, cereal, and hash browns. He’s able to really let his food digest while listening to the teacher in the morning. Think about what your child really enjoys eating, whether it’s the full spread of pancakes, grits, bacon, and eggs, or just their favorite cereal. Let them know you put thought into making their breakfast special!

Make it a Photo Diary!

I am a fan of taking as many pictures as possible. This is an important moment in history and you being a mother during a pandemic who is able to raise and mold this resilient child. Take photos for memories. Take photos of their virtual presentations. Take photos of the calm breakfasts. Take photos of the cool outfits that they pick out. Document this moment in time! You get all of those pictures as memories to cherish when they get older. They may not understand now but they will definitely appreciate it in the future!

Last but not least, when your child completes the day of virtual school, ask them about their day AND listen to them. I mean really listen to them. Show interest in everything they say they’ve done. Learn the names of their friends and how they describe them. There is no other way to end a remote learning day rather than a parent they love asking a question and really caring about their response!

I hope this helps you begin to think of cool ways to make remote learning amazing! Share your remote learning pictures on Instagram and tag #allmomdoes. We will get through this together!