JUST because children are away from school, it doesn’t mean they have to stop learning. However, it does mean that their learning needs to be adjusted and structured uniquely to suit how they learn best. Finding the best way may take some time to figure out, but with an open mind and patience, parents can help their child to enjoy learning, rather than see it as a chore.
To have an open mind you must accept that things have changed, children will not be attending school as they used to for the foreseeable future, so the onus falls upon parents to keep children enthused and gaining knowledge. Parents should stimulate children’s minds with challenging and new information that does not necessarily have to be online. Books, worksheets, quizzes and puzzles are good ways to exercise their minds and get them away from the computer and computer games for a while.

Parents can create a healthy balance by making sure children partake in various activities, both indoors and outdoors. If you have a yard, devise a simple task that your child can complete over some time, such as pulling out weeds and clearing a patch for planting seeds. Seeds from passion fruit, bora, tomatoes, okras, and peppers, to name a few, are easily obtained. Use old ice-cream containers or other recycled plastic receptacles to plant the seeds before transferring them to the ground.
Go outside with your children if you have space and do some simple stretching exercises early in the morning. Playing ‘ketcha’, or kicking or throwing a ball around helps your blood circulate. All types of physical activity will get the heart pumping and blood flowing more to the brain; this allows us to think clearly. Exercise regularly for maximum effect – at least one hour of exercise is recommended for children per day.

Families can learn (deep) breathing techniques and yoga in or outdoors. There is a cartoon monkey on YouTube teaching yoga and meditation exercises for children, or families can take a brisk walk just before sunrise when the air is fresh. These simple outdoor activities will help adults and children enjoy their day. Online schooling for those who have access to the internet is helpful but does not suit every child. Making the giant leap from one-to-one teaching in the classroom, to paying attention to a teacher through a laptop lacks interpersonal connection, and some children struggle to cope. Parents should not be surprised or angry if their child finds it hard to focus, can’t concentrate or does not enjoy online schooling. Some children have adjusted and benefit from their online education. However, nothing can compensate for the traditional teacher/student relationship and the social-emotional development children gain from school life.

Parents don’t have to be scholars to motivate their children to learn, but they need to be steady with their input and make learning exciting and fun. It is not about trying to replace the child’s teacher; it is about connecting with and stimulating the child’s learning process, so it does not become dormant or lazy.
Parents can do this in creative ways; for instance, while watching a movie, the name of a city or country may be mentioned. Challenge your child to find out the location and write ten things or a few paragraphs about the country. Give children a treat or reward on occasions, but don’t give incentives related to learning or completing tasks.
Most research nowadays is carried out online but, where possible, parents should provide material that is not on a computer screen so children can retain the simple tasks of reading and writing without using technology.

Parents should commend children for work they have completed, and when they seem tired or disinterested, it is okay to give them a break and let them complete their work in a given timeframe. There need to be boundaries, so children realise that education is still a significant part of their development, and not something for which they have a choice.
There is no need to put pressure on children learning at home or scold them for not doing as well as they used to in a school setting. The World has changed due to the COVID 19 pandemic, and we are all learning new behaviours and ways to cope. Children are expected to accept and conform to a new set of rules overnight, and for some, it will take longer to adjust than others; here is where parents will need an open mind and patience most of all.

Children need to feel engaged and connected when they are learning; they need material and challenges that will spark their curiosity and imagination, not a tiresome process that is difficult to understand, or long-winded. It is harder for them to pay attention when they have no interest, and where there is no interest, the child will go through the motions, but little, or no learning is taking place. It is a parental duty to maintain some structured education for children.
If you are concerned about the welfare of a child call the CPA hotline on 227 0979 or write to us at childcaregy@gmail.com
A MESSAGE FROM THE CHILDCARE AND PROTECTION AGENCY,
MINISTRY OF HUMAN SERVICES AND SOCIAL SECURITY