As more and more schools are closing to try to contain the spread of the coronavirus, you may find yourself thinking “how do I keep my kid on track with their schooling when there’s no telling how long this will go on?”.  It’s time to get prepared!

First off, meet with your family and decide on a plan.  Talk to your children and help them understand that this is the “new normal”, and explain to them how this isn’t just another school vacation and time to slack off.

Next, set a daily schedule for school work, chores, and other daily activities – and stick to it as much as possible.  Parents whom have home-schooled for years agree that it’s important to stick to a routine.  To make things even easier, have your children help create that schedule.

Ask your school district for support.  Most districts are already putting together lesson and curriculum plans to send out to parents, but in the meantime don’t be afraid to reach out to your teachers to see what you can do to keep things on track.

Create your schooling workspace.  Or on the flipside, change locations for each subject.  Whatever works for your student to concentrate on the subject at hand.

Take breaks and make it fun.  Quick breaks can help reset and can do wonders for your patience and mindset.  Remember that everything is a learning opportunity, and being at home with your kids is a way to find out-of-the-box ways to teach material.

You may have seen memes going around online with suggested schedules while kids are home.  This is one of my favorites:

BEFORE 9:00am:  Wake up
9:00-10:00am:   Morning Walk
10:00-11:00am:  Academic Time  NO ELECTRONICS!
11:00a-12:00n:  Lunch
12:30-1:00pm:   Chore Time
1:00-2:30pm:  Quiet Time (reading, puzzles, etc)
2:30-4:00pm:  Academic Time (Electronics okay, with educational apps)
4:00-5:00pm:  Afternoon fresh air
5:00-6:00pm:  Dinner
6:00-8:00pm:   Free TV Time
8:00pm             Bedtime – all kids
9:00pm             Bedtime – all kids who follow the daily schedule and don’t fight.