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Preparation Tips for the New Homeschooling & Distance Learning Parent

By
Home Stager with Cheers to Life Blogging

 

It’s no secret that this school year prep has been the absolute hardest one of them all. In the mom community, I am seeing just how many school districts are still unsure of the schooling method they will provide.  

 

This uncertainty has led to an extremely high influx of parents reverting to the homeschooling method. For us, we ultimately decided that we are not comfortable sending our son back to school in-person so we will do distance learning from home. 

 

However, for any parent who has never done either one of these choices, it’s a tough one to prepare for. I mean, school starts in two weeks for us and we still have absolutely no idea how distance learning is going to take place. Is it fully online regular school hours? Will it mimic college online classes where we are given work ahead of time to complete by a deadline? What supplies do we need to have at home? We really have no idea.

 

And I’m a planner. I like to think ahead and prepare myself or my family as best as we can for whatever is to come. So this not knowing is really driving me nuts.

 

But there are a few things you can do to prepare for homeschooling and distance learning, without knowing what may come in a few weeks.

 

1) Talk to your kids

 

If you haven’t done so already, it’s very important that you loop in your kids with the honest truth. We don’t know how this school year is going to play out. All we do know is that it will be much different than they’ve ever experienced before (and this is true even if attending school in-person). 

 

So let them know the uncertainties they may face. Let them know that this year will be different and that we will all need to adapt. The sooner they know this, the sooner they can prepare and start asking you their hundreds of questions haha!

 

2) Get them organized

 

But how? Well, you can start by doing little things like getting them a desk or homework station set up. We know the basic supplies they will need no matter what like pencils, markers, sharpeners and erasers. So keep those in a pencil box by their designated area.

 

And because I love organization and planning, I’m teaching my 7-year old son to follow suit. In fact, we both put our creative brains together and created this super cute "Back to School Calendar for Kids". It’s one to help kids keep track of the days and for parents to write down important reminders for the month so be sure to check it out.

 

You can find more distance learning and homeschool organization ideas and kid desk options at “Setting Up Desks for Homeschooling and Distance Learning at Home.”

 

So tell me… how prepared do you or your clients feel about this back to school season? Hopefully better than us LOL!

 

Cheers! 🥂

 

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Bob Crane
Woodland Management Service / Woodland Real Estate, KW Diversified - Stevens Point, WI
Forestland Experts! 715-204-9671

Hi Lucy,  Great blog - difficult time for students, parents and teachers - and I think they are all feeling the uncertainty of it.  Thanks for the tips - I am sure this will be helpful to many.

Aug 11, 2020 01:28 PM
Lucy Reyes

Yes it is unfortunately a difficult time for us all. And thank you!

Aug 16, 2020 07:21 AM