Nursing during the COVID-19 pandemic is challenging, even if you are in a “clean” environment. If you are a mom, you probably worry about your family even more. I am sure that you have thought, “I hope I don’t make them sick,” “what if I get sick,” or a million other things.
Now, most kids are remotely learning, at least somewhat. Teachers are concerned about returning to the classroom full-time, and students are frustrated with distance education. Thank goodness you are a nurse. You know how to handle the pressure! However, dealing with a tired, cranky, understimulated child can be maddening. Here are a few tips to help your child with virtual learning.
Team Up
Teachers, students, parents, and administrators need to work as a team. Often, teachers and administrators try to get children on board, but a bored teen or preteen is unlikely to be much help without more influence. Express the need for engagement to your child. Remote learning is hard. No one was prepared for it when it began. Teachers are still figuring out how to work systems and make things as engaging as possible. Working as a team will make things easier. Teachers are not mind readers. If something isn’t working, don’t be afraid to speak up, respectfully, of course. We all hate it when the general public tells us how to do our jobs. Let your child know that they can advocate for themselves too.
Advocate for Your Child’s Needs
While the teacher has your child’s best interests at heart, things are bound to get missed. If your child is struggling and you feel you should step in, by all means, do so. Keep in mind that as a team, you also have to be willing to accept that some things will have to be handled at home. Teachers are already spread thin, and they are doing the best they can. Some of the legwork has to be done by the student. Unfortunately, more is falling on the student than ever before.
Resources
Sometimes, you will have to find information for yourself. YouTube can be a great place to find instructional videos. Your local library also has a reference section on their website where you can search for scholarly articles, ebooks, and other electronic sources. If your child is in middle or high school, this is often a great place to start. Many libraries also already use the child’s lunch number as their library card number. Contact your local library to find out more information. Khan Academy is another excellent website for students needing extra help. The information is excellent for elementary through college students. Organizational tools like planners, schedules, storage bins, and paper trays can also be invaluable to the disorganized child.
Final Thoughts
There are hundreds of things you can do to make your child’s education more manageable. It’s hard to know which ones will work for every child. However, if you tackle the problems head-on, work as a team, advocate with them and for them, and utilize some of these resources, you will likely find that the year goes a little more smoothly.