How To Keep Your Child Engaged And Behaved Learning Online

Online learning is a relatively new concept, but it has touched the lives of many people around the globe. The computers and other digital devices in your home have become gateways to learning new things or a substitute for learning that cannot take place in person.

While many students have been able to easily transition from in-person learning to learning online, there are still some who may struggle to stay focused and well-behaved. If you’re finding that your child is part of the latter group, there are some things you can do to help. Read on to find out how to keep your child engaged and behaved learning online.

Talk About Expectations
One of the most important things you can do to support your child in online learning is to understand what the expectations are. How much time should a student be spending on learning? Remember that for smaller kids, a lot of screen time can really start to push the boundaries of their attention span and patience, so it might be best to break up work into smaller sections if your child is struggling to keep their full attention on a lesson. Be sure to talk to their teacher for ideas – they’re your partner in your child’s learning, after all!

Find Activities That Work
There are many different ways a child can learn online, and they will likely enjoy some activities more than others. Pay attention to what activities seem to engage your learner and see if there are more ways to plan for those types of learning experiences. Ask if the teacher is open to helping you to plan activities that are more engaging for your online learner if you find they’re struggling to pay attention and keep their behavior in line with learning expectations.

Get the Wiggles Out
Kids need to move, much more than adults tend to! That’s why it’s a good idea to work in frequent breaks where you encourage your child to get their wiggles out. (You could even throw on some tunes by The Wiggles and let them dance it out if you want to take it to the next level.)

Allow your child time to be active and you’ll see their focus and attention improving. You may also want to encourage your child to stand for some portions of their work, since some kids may be able to better focus if they’re not forced to sit for long periods. You know your child best, so allow them to move in the ways they need to help them stay focused and on task.

Minimize Distractions
Unless you’re going to put your child in a sensory deprivation chamber to do their work, you cannot expect to eliminate all distractions. What you can do is help to lessen distractions when they’re attending online school.

The best way to accomplish this is with a dedicated workspace. If you aren’t able to provide a separate room for them to work in, something as simple as a cardboard box with some pillows thrown inside and a lap desk may be all that is needed. This can work to block out distractions and help them focus. Plus, smaller kids probably think it’s fun to work in their own little “fort”, and it could score you some major parent coolness points!

Make a List
If you have a child who struggles to focus, you may want to work on making a focus checklist. Sometimes a visual representation of what they need to do for school can be helpful. They can check off each thing as they do it and, backed up by your praise, it can help them to feel as if they’re accomplishing things and kicking goals.

Give Positive Feedback
A child who is having issues with focus or engagement with learning online may need a little more positive feedback than they would in other situations. With that in mind, every time they complete a lesson or assignment, be sure to give positive feedback immediately. Stickers are a great tool for this for younger children, and of course, praise from you is always a great boost.

Take a Break
If your child is at the point where they cannot focus or they’re not engaging, it is OK to take a break. No teacher wants their students to be unhappy or upset with the learning process. In fact, teachers spend quite a bit of time trying to help their students by making lessons as engaging as possible. But if you or your child have simply reached a wall you can’t get around by utilizing other strategies, it’s OK to walk away for a bit and return later.

It’s also totally acceptable for you to step in as their parent and slow the pace if you feel it’s simply going too fast. Giving your child a break can help them to process information. You may need to break a lesson down into smaller, more easily digestible segments instead of trying to attack it as a whole. There’s also nothing wrong with putting a lesson on the backburner and coming back to it later, even if that means another day.

Education, both online and off, is a group effort. It takes kids, teachers, and parents working together for it to be successful. You know your child better than anyone, so if you see places where their online learning experience can be enhanced, take the reins and make it happen for them. That should help to improve their focus and behavior when it comes to online learning.

Featured image by Annie Spratt on Unsplash