Virtual school has all of us parents going a little crazy? Am I right? I think so! It’s been a huge change this year for children and parents. But not everything is lost, there are some things that we can do as parents to help our kids. I will share with you a few ideas that has made our life easier as parents during this uncertain time.

1. Create a schedule. Kids need a schedule, probably more than adults. Having a schedule will help lower their anxiety because they know what to expect. For us school starts at 8am. I wake up the girls at 7am give them something to drink in bed, get dressed and do their hair. By this time, it’s around 7:30am and I serve them breakfast and give them 20 minutes to eat. By 7:50am they are ready in front of their computer to start their day!

2. Find parent support. You are not the only one going through this, all of us are. Find a couple of parents that you can communicate with and share questions you might have, or frustrations and how they dealt with them. I was able to get in touch with one of the moms of my daughters’ classroom and we ask each other questions when needed. This is a great resource and help for me.

3. Be organized. Have all the passwords for all the applications needed for school written down in one place that your children or you have easy access every day. Also designate an area for all the school supplies that is easily accessible to the children. I converted our playroom into a classroom. I took most of the toys out and replaced them with educational puzzles, posters and supplies. I labeled everything so the girls could access it easier.

4. Stay on top of the communication with the teacher. Make sure you go through the emails or texts that the teacher sends you daily. This will help you be on top of things and will ease the burden. At the beginning I was not doing this, and it really created chaos. Communication is crucial and if you do it daily you will always know what is going on.

5. Be patient. Virtual school is not easy for anyone. Teachers, students and parents are figuring out their way and learning new things daily. Be patient with your child, with your teacher and with yourself. Take a five-minute break if needed to relax and then go back at it. It will be very helpful.