Parenting Tips to Make Homeschool Work | Orlando Counselor

Daily Homeschool Schedule Advice 

The coronavirus pandemic is continuously changing our lives, but one thing for sure is, you’re unsure of how to go about the next few weeks. Like most parents, you’ve suddenly found yourself solely responsible for your child’s education. You could be unsure of how to go about this tough situation, but all you know is you want to do what’s best for your child. Daily “structured’ schedules are essential to help guide and comfort your child through tough times. So here are a few tips to help keep a productive and active daily schedule, while still practicing social distancing and working from home. 

1. Collaborate. Talk with your child about their ideas about organizing their days. Come together on what makes sense for everyone. When children are included they cooperate more, especially those with ADHD.
2. Wake up and Bed Times. Pick times for waking up, studying, and going to bed. 
3. Screen Time Limits. Extend your child’s usual screen time so they can have more time to interact with their friends. Be sure to explain to your child that this is an exception due to the new routine. Using parental controls so that you can give them access to the apps they use to stay in touch.  
4. Incentives. Come up with ideas to reward your child for doing their work, chores, and staying on schedule. This will naturally motivate your child, as it gives them something to work towards.
5. Put it in writing. Post your schedule and incentives weekly. Each day should have designated times for school work and learning, chores, and fun activities. Also plan out check-in days to claim incentives. 

If you need to see sample schedule for ideas, click here.

School & Learning

1. Plan. Set up work times, with the promise of incentives that your child will care about. Cut out time for timed breaks that include appropriate activities. Also plan to work in the same area as your child. Do your work, while they do theirs, help them stay on task and help them when they need it. This way you’re leading by example, and being supportive.
2. Be Realistic. We all know that most children don’t have the burning desire to study. So set up a duration for how long they will be studying. This will vary with their level of interest, and how challenging the work. 
3. Set Benchmarks. Decide some incentives for reaching stages of completion in their work. Also allow a 5 minute rest with one of their acceptable activities.

Chores

1. Team Effort. Instill a team mentality, so that everyone understands their need to do their part. Make sure they understand the importance now that everyone will be home more often, and its everyone’s responsibility to keep the house clean. 
2. Choose Manageable Chores. Give your child chores they can complete without too much difficulty. Also give incentives according to the difficulty of that chore. Supervision may be required often but appraisal is most important. 

Activities

1. Social Time. Seeing is how your child may not be used to staying home so much, its important that you prioritize their social time. Make sure they interact with others in some way. Whether it be facetime, video games, or even family time outdoors. 
2. Create a list of non-screen activities. It’s important that you don’t allow your child to sit in front of a screen all day everyday. Things like board games, science projects, scrap booking, cards, music, books, walking, yoga, biking, caring for pets, or even cooking. 
3. Make the usual more fun. Play music while doing the chores, have lunch in the living room picnic style, let your child pick a movie for family movie night and make popcorn and snacks. 
4. Down Time. Allow your child to relax and do their own thing. Give them some space to do the things they enjoy on their own.

ADDitude

Call our In-person and Virtual Teen Counselors in Orlando for help now at 407-248-0030! We also have teen counselors near Altamonte in Winter Park, Lake Mary, Clermont, East Orlando Waterford Lakes Avalon Park, Dr Phillips Windermere. We also help with EMDR therapy for anxiety and trauma and treat ADHD often without medication and the News Media called us 200+ times for our mental health advice.

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Edited by TLC Intern – Christopher Williams