Parents all over the world have now become homeschool teachers for the first time ever, on top of their work responsibilities. While it seems intimidating, there are ways to make it work. 

Structure is important when your kids are out of school, especially if you’re working at home as well. But you can and should do what works best for your family. Let’s say you have active kids who focus best if they move while working. If you tell them they have to be seated at the table during learning time, this may not be the best situation. The optimum homeschool schedule is the one that keeps children engaged.

Make a schedule

You may have seen them circulating social media; parents across the world are sharing their family’s work & school schedules.

Anyone need a schedule for their kids ages 3-7 for the coming weeks – here's ours. #covid #pcghomeschool pic.twitter.com/HucAK9zhIj

— Neda Laiteerapong, MD, MS (@nedalai) March 15, 2020

Schedules like this can come in handy. Personalize it for your family and try to stick to it! You can create your own here!

Give kids some input in the schedule, too. Spending a little more time on the things they’re most interested in can keep them engaged and offer a ton of educational and social benefits.

Make sure to build in breaks, recess and lunch. Factor in downtime and outdoor play so kids can recharge and have fun. 

Set a routine

Setting expectations in the same way your children’s teachers do can help them and establish structure. Set rules, like no pajamas or devices during school time.

Use the info you have

Think about how and when your children learn best. Are they alert in the morning, or more awake in the afternoon? What really motivates them to work hard? Use the information and put it into your schedule.

Make it fun

There are benefits to spending all this time together. Find ways to get creative with learning and take part: put on plays, have your kids teach you something they learned in the past or have them help you cook! Take a family walk, look at the trees and flowers, take photos of the ones you really like and print them out for wall art! We have some great ideas in our blog about keeping creativity going while at home. Check it out!

Sticking to a schedule while stimulating your child’s brain. The best way to get through a work at home/homeschool situation!