The COVID-19 Pandemic ushered in an unwelcomed new era for everyone worldwide. Regular work, childcare, and school routines went out the window as we all struggled to adjust. Parents who were initially hesitant to further their education during the Pandemic realized putting off training for more stable, better-paying career opportunities made little sense. Necessity leads to discovery as parents find ways to juggle their jobs and online career training while also helping their kids learn remotely. Attending college online while your kids are learning virtually creates the perfect opportunity for both of you to succeed. Here, ASPIRA City College provides some pointers on how to turn the lemon, our new Pandemic normal, into lemonade, which is helping the kids thrive while you take classes to get your work-life moving in the right direction.

Create a Dedicated Workspace on a Dime

To foster good habits, dedicate a workspace where you and the kids can attend live virtual classes without distraction. It can be a multipurpose workspace where you attend classes and study or, depending on your environment, a different space for study and homework time. Either way, you do not need a lot of room to set this up, and it sure does not need to be costly. You can get an inexpensive folding table to use as a desk, either new or even less expensively used, from sites such as Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist or OfferUp, or LetGo. You need a computer(s) with the functionality to meet virtual learning needs, and you need one other piece of equipment – headphones. If everyone has a set of headphones, you can work side by side without disturbing each other. Keeping career education as accessible and affordable, ASPIRA City College students can incorporate the cost of that laptop computer into their financial aid plans.

Ways for You and the Kids to Thrive Instead of Survive in Online Learning

Whether attending grade school K-12 or going to college, everyone attending school in-person counts on having breaks.  Breaks are just as crucial, if not more so, with distance education. At ASPIRA City College, online students have a four-block of live instructor-led classes once a week. For every 50 minutes of class time, they have a 10-minute break to get up, away from their desk and computer screen. Your older kids need about 30-minute learning increments with breaks between, while it’s best to shift activities every 15 to 20 minutes for your younger children.  It’s great to coordinate some of your breaks with the kids to do a shared movement activity, a quick chore, or to go out for some fresh air together. Physical activity is brain break time, You and the kids both need it to keep alert, and it helps stimulate learning.

More Parent Tips for Successful Online Learning

Nothing is ideal, and there is no perfect. For you and your kids to succeed, the first order of business is to shift your mindset from ideal and perfect to the practical aspects of making things work. You likely had no experience working remotely from home and going to college online while managing your kids at home through their distance education. It’s new territory, it isn’t easy, and it is doable. Keep in mind; you are the role model for your kids. Let them see you navigating daily life well enough while you’re in online classes. Let them see you solve problems, do your homework, and demonstrate the value of pursuing education through your actions. Show excitement whenever you do something well and do the same when they do something well. You are the positivity coach – acknowledgment and encouragement go a long way for both of you. Make celebrating personal accomplishment your family norm. It creates a supportive learning environment that leads to future successes. When necessary, develop schedules, otherwise form more flexible morning, afternoon, and evening routines. Get everyone involved, split up chores, plan activities everyone looks forward to, and make time for having fun. Through you, your kids see that virtual learning is not something to survive but something you can thrive in doing together. One day you and your kids will look back on this time and realize you made it through together with lasting memories; you helped your kids see how to get things done, and you earned your degree and created better opportunities for yourself and your family.

To learn more about ASPIRA City College, contact us today or schedule a virtual visit.