With the whirlwind of changes, online learning is about to become part of the mix. Tighten the hatches! Schools, parents, and children are scrambling to figure this out. Anxiety is running high, and the learning curve is turning out to be fairly steep for some. Don’t worry; as a parent or grandparent, you have the wonderful ability to improvise, and more importantly, take a deep breath and check out these tips for helping your kids adjust to the changes.

7 Tips for Helping Your Kids Adjust to Online Learning

1. Create a schedule. Stick to routines or create new ones. Wake up in the morning at the usual time, shower, get dressed (in school clothes, even), have breakfast.
2. Have a space set aside for schoolwork. Set up a place in your home where your student can focus on schoolwork: a desk, a quiet corner.
3. Treat online school like real school. Homework and attendance matter.
4. Show respect for teachers. They’ve been tasked with shifting to distance learning. And let’s face it: most of them didn’t go into teaching to have a virtual “classroom”.
5. Get some exercise. Take some breaks, and when online school is over for the day, encourage children to play outside if they can. Enjoy the sun.
6. Stay connected. Help kids keep in touch with friends and family by phone, Skype or FaceTime. And help them make new connections by meeting the people that live next door that can enjoy some conversation on the porch or across the back fence.
7. Share your feelings. Encourage children to open up about how they’re feeling and ask others how they’re doing. It’s okay to take a moment and hit the “reset” button in the middle of a day. Just be honest about the reasons and emotions that come with doing that.

When in doubt, cut your kids, teachers, and yourself some slack. This is new for all of us.