10 Tips for Optimising Your Home & Preparing Your Kids for Homeschooling
In this blog post, we take a break from discussing the benefits and features of flooring. We want to help regular Australians get through this testing period.
With school closures happening across the globe as a result of COVID-19, many Australians are wondering if it is only a matter of time before schools close here. Some parents are choosing to pull students out as a precautionary measure.
Either way, if you find yourself worrying about how you would handle homeschooling, we wanted to share some tips on optimising your home and making the transition as smooth as possible.
10 Tips For Homeschooling
1. Be Forgiving of Yourself and Your Children
This is a stressful time for many people. If the pressure of running the perfect homeschool day gets to be too much, back off, take a breath, and spend some time together as a family relaxing.
If that means putting on a favourite movie for a while to zone out with your kids, that is okay! Ultimately, a healthy emotional state is the most important outcome — for all involved.
2. Stick to a Schedule
The homeschooling experience will vary greatly depending on each child’s personality. Some will find it fun and exciting, while others will find it frustrating and challenging. The common denominator is that most children function best with a bit of structure.
Sticking to a rigid schedule can be a recipe for disaster, but maintaining a general homeschooling routine can help minimise disruption and keep their minds active.
Be flexible and ready to adjust the times when necessary. For example, what happens today from 10am to 10:30am may happen slightly later tomorrow. Or perhaps one day you’ll spend the entire day in your yard bird watching and exploring nature.
3. Enjoy the Extra Time
Doing schoolwork at home does not take an entire day as it does at school. Full school days include recess, lunch, and transition times that take up a portion of the day. At home, the actual school day can end up being significantly shorter and leave you and your kids more time for other activities.
4. Get Some Fresh Air
Nothing beats fresh air for stress relief! Depending on the restrictions imposed by the Australian Government, try walking your pets as a temporary break. Or, play in your own backyard. Not only will you and your kids fight off stress, but you can tackle gym class, life science, and so much more when you are outside exploring and having fun.
If possible, spend part of your day homeschooling in your backyard.
5. Customise The Surroundings Based on Your Kids
All kids learn differently. Some kids will need peace and quiet (no television or vacuuming) while others will enjoy some soft music or a white noise machine in the background.
Some kids will need breaks to get up and move around and some may just want to get through everything as quickly as possible.
It may take some trial and error, but this is a great chance to find out how your child learns best and what their interests are.
6. Set Up a Designated Learning Space
It is important to have a designated school space, including a work surface. Any clutter-free table with a comfortable chair will work, although some kids may wish to work on a rug with a clipboard to write on. A child may wish to work out in the living room or prefer to be in their own room.
7. Take Advantage of Digital Resources
Countless online resources and apps are available to take advantage of during this time. If your children are missing their friends, you can organise virtual video chats to help them feel more connected.
There are also a growing number of live-streamed, kid-friendly activities becoming available, from storytime to yoga to zoo streams and more.
Digital learning resources can help in a variety of different ways.
8. Steer Clear of Too Much Screen-Time
While some app time or a family movie can be important tools for learning or relaxing, it is important to avoid too much screen time. At the very least, take a break every 30 minutes and try to limit screen time to 2 hours per day.
9. Look After Yourself, Too
If you are feeling overwhelmed, do your best to work through it before working with your kids. Talk to a friend, read, journal, meditate, exercise — anything that puts you in a good space mentally.
If you enjoy interior design or decorating, now might be a great time to gather new ideas for inspiration and start planning a new project. Or maybe there is a new recipe you have been waiting to try (better yet, make it with your kids!).
By handling your worries and emotions, you can help your children deal with theirs.
10. Have Some Fun!
A surprising amount of learning takes place through everyday life — cooking, playing games, crafting, gardening, etc. This is the perfect time to do fun science experiments, crafts, painting, and games with your kids.
Have fun! Spend the time trying different activities with your kids.
We’re Here For Our Customers During These Unprecedented Times
These times are uncertain, but we are still 100% committed to our customers and our values. Our blogs are an important way for us to inform and connect with our customers and we hope you found this homeschooling blog helpful.
If you would like to know about the proactive steps we are taking to do our part in protecting our customers and our community, you can check out our recent blog post on COVID-19.
As always, our customers are our number one priority and we hope you will reach out to us with any questions or concerns.
