The kids are home! Now what?

We are starting to enter into the first full month of virtual learning and its presented some new challenges.  It has come to my attention that I am absolutely not cut out for this. Truthfully, this is no real epiphany. I already knew that but did not want to admit it. Truth be told none of us really are, including the kids! Where do we go from here? The first instinct is survival and to ride it out. We can do this! However, like many other parents, my greatest fear is my kids are going to get  behind. There is really only so much the teachers can do from where they are. I would not want to have their job. I imagine it is like being at Disney World with the kids, have them sit down outside of the gate, and ask them to ignore where they are and take out their math books.  

There are so many distractions in my house. A place they have been quarantined for 6 months. I’m sure most Raleigh and Wake Forest homeowners can relate. There are toys they haven’t played with for months are now the most important and the center of their universe. It’s something different! They are playing with toys I thought we donated the year before last. Let’s face it they are bored and now they have to go to school here.

I have 3 kids and each age has its own set of challenges. Especially, when it comes to school. Two are virtual learning and the 3^rd looks to my wife and I for preschool instruction. Lucky for us, because of our schedules, we are able to tag team school. At times it feels like full on WWE smack down. Chairs and school supplies are always flying around. In all seriousness, because of our jobs, we are able to alternate who is the teachers aid that day. So we make it work. I wish every household could do this. However, I know many cant. I don’t see how they do it. We are hanging in there and so are the kids. Ultimately, it is about them so we have tried to create an environment as conducive to learning as possible. My wife had the brilliant idea of creating work stations. Yes, we lost the beautiful  farm table and dining room for now but we gained an area that helps with focus and makes them feel somewhat grounded and centered.  She accomplished this by purchasing project boards. The boards you would get for science fair displays. We decorated them for each kid. Each with their own name, slots for school supplies, and encouraging phrases. They were really cheap and the benefit is at least the kids can’t see each other. The sound is a whole other issue. The lessons can be quite distracting to another student in the room. I went to Five Below and bought the closest thing they had to noise canceling headphones for $5 and they work great. The only problem is it is difficult to follow along with the lessons so when my kids have questions it takes me a moment to get up to speed.  

Some other things we have tried is creating a REAL routine. As we all know kids are creatures of habit and they need the discipline to learn.  There certainly is some pushback because of the redundancy. However, having a steady routine  compliments well with their school  structure. Some examples are  every morning we have them logon themselves. They take control and the initiative. 4 weeks ago they had no idea how to navigate it. Now they understand how to use a device that is not a cell phone or tablet. Another thing is we have our son enter his reading every single morning at the same time. This makes him feel a little independent and not so sheltered. The biggest challenge so far for us has been the time for the lunch break. They have a full hour and a half and this is where we really had to get things structured. It is so easy for them to lose focus and when it is time to log back on, if they have already checked out for the day, then they are done. It’s important to have some type of physical activity during this time. They are sitting in the same place for the whole day and we are just asking for meltdown city. We created a plan for this time.  The first half hour of the break they are outside running around. My wife actually has them skipping down the sidewalk. Even jumping jacks. Something, anything to get some of that energy out! Then the next half hour is lunch. We try to have them eat out on the patio. To get them out of the house. The last half hour is quite time. We give them time to read and it’s their choice. If they are not up to reading we do some arts or crafts.  It’s not only fun it settles them down before school resumes. This whole break has to be device free. It really is the only way. They wouldn’t have it at school and you have to recreate that environment at home as much as possible.

The last 2 hours of virtual learning usually move pretty quickly even with the occasional “this day is taking forever”. There is much anticipation from the kids that the school day is almost over. The same anticipation they would have at school. So we have at least succeeded in some way  in recreating the school experience here! I think one of the most important things to do is remind them they are at school. This IS school. We have to remind them constantly. The other things is to try and do some creative things the kids can look forward to. My wife actually packs them lunch on Fridays. A lunch with a  lunch box, zipped up in a lunch pouch, and even their  school water bottles. They absolutely love it. It gives them a little bit of comfort and a reminder of what the school experience was like. We can’t replace their peers but hopefully we can keep them on track so when they are back they won’t be behind. I feel and hope  we are going to have several kids that may not take school  for granted as much when they go back. I really think they are going to appreciate being at school and their teachers a little more than before. We all just need to hang in there a little longer.

Matt Maynard

Buyer Specialist
matt@peterkima.com