As we are way past 3 months of lockdown, it has been hard enough for parents to balance their careers as well as look after their child’s educational needs. Although juggling family, work and school commitments can be strenuous, one can overcome it with sound advice and determination. After all, the prospect of thousands of teachers and learners venturing into cyberspace for the first time through a contingency can be daunting. As one of the most prestigious schools in Mumbai, we Thakur International School believe creating active learning experiences requires synchronous communication and active collaboration between parents and educationists.

We present some tips for parents to navigate the journey of online education:

• Digital Social Distancing

It may be worth considering to reduce the time that children spend playing on their cellphones or browsing through Instagram and Facebook. Ensure that their homework is done satisfactorily so that they can receive your undivided attention.

• Save Time For Learning

Providing children a disturbance-free, quiet, comfortable and dedicated space is essential to make the best out of their learning sessions. It is best to provide them with a space that is not where they play video games or watch the television. Children will most probably occupy this space for the larger part of the day and parents should ensure that their children are sitting in a comfortable posture to avoid orthopaedic issues.

• Plan Your Work and Follow The Schedule

Sit with your child and assist him/her to form a weekly schedule mentioning all tasks that need to be completed during the week. Teach them to prioritize their goals, tasks and deadlines. Learning from home can be quite different from learning at school, so make sure to check in with them for any difficulties or problems associated with the same. Make sure to plan your own schedule as well, as this can relieve stress for you and your child.

• Ensure Your Child Takes Studies Seriously

Even though staying away from school for a couple of months may feel like a holiday, make your kids aware that this isn’t a vacation. Homework assigned via Google Classroom along with assignments aren’t cancelled just because classes have moved online.

• Allocate Time For Other Activities

Plan bonding activities with the rest of the family so that your child can get some free personal time. This is a golden opportunity as school and work obligations provide very little time for bonding and cohesion. Play scrabble, chess, ludo or monopoly. Go outside for a walk, ensuring that you’re wearing a mask and maintaining an appropriate physical distance.

Let’s make the best out of this quarantine episode and ensure that we don’t compromise on our wellbeing and that of our children. We wish you and your child an academically, professionally and personally enriching year.