A lot of moms in our community have been unexpectedly thrown into the world of at-home schooling, and depending on how things go around the country, many more may find themselves in the same situation in the near future. With no warning and no preparation, it’s a transition that has the potential to be tough for both kids and parents.
Kids will be expected to do school in an environment they typically experience as a respite from school. They’ll be working with less structure than they’re accustomed to for their school activities. They’ll have more free, unscheduled time in their days. While none of these things are bad (they could actually be really good!), the fact is that this is a transition, and transitions aren’t easy.
Knowing that, we consulted some true experts in the world of at-home schooling – seasoned homeschooling mamas – to offer some tips on how to make this season go smoothly, however long it lasts. Every child is different and there’s no “one-size-fits-all” solution to schooling at home, but hopefully you’ll find a few things to try to help make these next few weeks a pleasant experience for everyone involved!
“Arrange a ‘school zone’ in your home. It could be anything: a table/desk/comfy spot on a pile of pillows/wherever suits you and your child. School work is to be completed in that defined space. No schooling happens in any of the other space of the home, and nothing EXCEPT school happens in that zone.” – Jessica R.
“Keep a routine and that helps! breakfast, school work (breaks and snacks) then FREE time! We require them to be done with school work and chores before playing or TV. The Sooner its done, sooner they get free time! It works if you stick to it. If they need to wiggle get outside and run or splash in puddles but come in and get back to work!” – Harmony S.
“We do about 20 minutes at a time then a break. Also, dont be surprised if school at home doesnt take as long to complete as traditional school. We only work about less than 2 hours on traditional style curriculum. Then they can play! Also, we talk about having a good attitude and reminding them that there is a break in 20 minutes (you can set a timer) or after x is complete. Also, grace! ” – Christi R.
“To preserve mom’s sanity- set up a time each day when everyone takes a break from each other! We usually do it right after lunch. Everyone goes to their own space and does a quiet, independent activity. This helps siblings get a break from each other too. Also, mom doesn’t have to spend every moment with the kids (she can’t!). So break up the time if possible with time where you are helping the kids with their schoolwork, then time when they can do something independent. Then do another thing that requires teamwork, then some tv or video game time, etc. Especially if no one is used to being together all day, this should help some.” – Niki S.
“Let them sleep in. Well-rested kids with full tummies focus well and will be able to complete what’s expected. We went with an ‘order of the day’ vs an hour by hour schedule. If it’s pretty out, go on a walk or park day. The work will get done. Whether if they work at the kitchen table or under the coffee table, it will get done. Take a break for cards, games, play and fun reading time. My suspicions are that you will enjoy this a lot more than you might think.” – Darla G.
“Lots of built-in breaks are important. They could set a timer for a set time, such as 15-20 minutes, and if the child will work diligently for that time frame, when the timer goes off, they get an agreed-upon break time before getting back to their work for another pre-designated amount of time.” – Jessica R.
“Start a checklist. Check of an item and move for ten minutes. Check off another item, move for ten minutes.” – Becky Y.
“As a mom, keeping a schedule has been really important to our family. My kids sleep a little later than normal, but not much. We still eat at regular times, and they go to bed at a reasonable hour. Keeping them on a routine has been important.” – Becky Y.
“Have a good attitude and look for ways to enjoy spending time with them. Look for something you can teach them that they aren’t getting in school like cooking or sewing or playing a game or whatever hobby you enjoy. Look for the positive things!” – Beth B.
“Structure/ Schedule- For us, having some kind of schedule helps. Some expectations for the kids to know this is kinda what I do and when. Depending on the age of the kid, and what the structure is of online school (if they are doing any) I try to give them an idea of when the next break will be. “I know this math is frustrating. When you finish, you can do xtz fun thing for 20 minutes.” Or when you get half-done, or whatever. In public school they get lots of little breaks (waiting for the teacher, etc, and they may need those little breaks while working at home too).” – Niki S.
“If the mama has a few kids who need to get things done AND are having trouble getting along, she could try and rotate kids through work and free time. One kid works on homework for a set time, while the other gets to build legos in the play room, and then they switch.” – Lizzi S.
“Make everyone get up and do normal morning routine, including getting dressed Monday through Friday. Go to dining room and keep house quiet like a classroom. Take breaks every 45 minutes.” – Jennifer C.
“Don’t think you have to fill time and make the school day at home the same length of time. With just a few kids doing work, there’s no filler. When the kids have done the work, move on. We’re often done with school within 2 hours per day (only child so several children will vary). Take advantage of the extra time and play games as a family and use it to bond and become closer. Have a pajama day and definitely SLEEP IN.” – Amy D.
“Life skills are a great choice to incorporate! Laundry, and making a schedule so everyone agrees when it’ll be quiet, when together. When own. Kids do much better on a schedule that is similar to their school day.” – Georgina J.
“Grace. Lots of grace. For them, and for you as you sort out schedules that work for you to make it all happen. Oh, and snacks. You have no idea how much your children will eat once they realize they’re home with free reign to listen to their metabolism during the day!!!” – Jennifer L.
“Every kid at some point over some subject will have the tears, the frustrations, etc. They often don’t do it at school out of fear of embarrassment, but are more likely to let loose at home. Just tell yourself that is part of them learning and maturing. This can be a great opportunity to help them learn how to deal with their emotions. Math is important, so is learning how to deal with frustration in an appropriate way. Or how to keep working at something when it feels overwhelming. This is a great opportunity to be their tutor through how to handle difficulty. It can really help to look at it this way when they are crying over math… again… and so are you.” – Niki S.
We recognize that many of you are also trying to figure out how to balance work expectations while now supporting your children’s online education. Here are a few suggestions on where to find supplemental content to keep the learning going, and tips on how to encourage free time so you can have some uninterrupted time to be productive:
“Have the child pick a topic they find interesting and have them read, watch videos (you tube streaming whatever you have) and then have them give a talk to the family to teach them,or recreate topic related item in Minecraft or with legos or art project that’s fun for them. Research a their favorite food and have them talk about it or make it. Let them be creative.” – Rachael H.
“I use time4learing and we love it.” – Melissa M.
“When my kids get ‘bored’ I tell them, ‘boredom is the engine of creativity. I’m sure you can find something to do.’ I can also give them something to do like cleaning something. Or I send them outside for an extended period of time. Some screen time can get creative juices flowing like learning to draw with Art for Kids Hub. Or we listen to audiobooks while drawing, playing with playdoh, building legos, cleaning up, etc. I leave the craft stuff out and they get really creative We also love to play games. It could be a great time to learn some new ones. I believe Snapdoodle let’s you borrow games for a few days to try.” – Christi R.
“We have to be ok with letting our kids be bored. A lot of kids are so busy these days they may not be used to this feeling. But when they get bored enough they will find something to do, like read a book, paint a picture or play with a rock and a stick. And this is where they get creative and learn.” – Beth B.
“One thing they don’t get enough of is play. Let em. Online sites like Khan academy are great if they like watching videos. Better are sites like Prodigy, which gameify math. You probably can get a free month trial. Do art, play music, ready poetry, read great books together (or listen to audio books through libby app for our library) and have them retell in their own words. Do Kiwi or Mel science kits, or experiment on your own. Watch youtube science shows, like Sung science, or Coyote Peterson, even wild kratts. Teach them to cook- its math and chemistry. Play games with them- chess, scrabble, Monopoly. Do a nature journal together n get outside. Teach them about hand washing. Most importantly, spend time in Gods word together, and listening to encouraging music. They dont get that at school!” – Stacy J.
“LOTS of games! And set things out-cardboard boxes with markers and scissors and fabric so they can build and decorate; set out a box of brownie mix and let them cook; set out watercolors and markers and stacks of blank paper; get stacks of books from the library and read; have them put on Elephant Piggie plays or just play dress up; build with Lego; write letters to people, listen to books on tape… This is an unexpected gift of time. I know you have work to do but set what you can aside and just enjoy having them with you.” – Kristi W.
“Communicate! Set expectations with your kids; they know other things need to get done, too. Just tell them, ‘Mommy will be working for the next two hours so you need to find things to do on your own.’ Since your kids are school-aged, they can totally handle this.” – Kristina S. (I’m not a homeschooling mom, but I still think this is good advice 😉 )
Mom, struggling doesn’t mean you’re not cut out for this or that you don’t enjoy spending time with your kids. It means that you’re overwhelmed with being handed a task that you never expected in a million years (frankly, none of us did) into a lifestyle that was not designed to accommodate it. It’s okay if it’s hard, but be intentional with how you handle it to find the strategies that work best for your kids and your family. Have a good attitude, do your best, and let go of the mom guilt.
It will always be there waiting for you another day. You can do this!
