We share some tips and recommendations on supporting your child during an exam year.
The pressures of juggling work, home, and your children’s schedules while under lockdown have challenged the sanity of many parents. With schools and most workplaces closed due to pandemic, many of us have found ourselves dealing with new-found home-life stresses.
Coupled with having to work from home and run a full household, you’re likely trying to keep an eye on your work screen and the other on your children’s virtual schoolwork. Bad enough you’re confined to the four walls of your house but worse still, you’re cut off from your network of support (in the physical sense, of course).
Over time, however, we have learnt to accept that this pandemic is here to stay, deal with the situation and now, lead the “new-normal life”. It is important for parents to remember that this is a stressful time for their children as well, especially those who are bearing the burden of taking their national exams this year.
As parents, we are our children’s first teachers. We could either crumble under the pressure of COVID-19 or we can accept, adapt and emerge stronger from this and be their role-models of resilience.
Here are some recommendations to help your children through their exam period whilst leading a “new normal life”.
Adopt healthy lifestyles Having a well-balanced diet, regular exercise and adequate sleep equal to a happier person – period. Take the lead and emulate a healthy lifestyle through this pandemic.
Explore technology together Depending on the ages of your children, you could explore various tech-platforms to learn creatively. Alternatively, you may want to engage your older children to be YOUR teacher and open a whole new world of technology to you. This would be a good time to re-look at screen time limits each day so that they lead a well-balanced on and off screen time life.
Be openly supportive of the school's programmes and adjustments relating to social distancing and other COVID-19 related measures Remember that your children’s teachers and the school’s leaders are also going through this time through trial and error and under the direction of the forces above them. Be kind, be understanding and be their allies – together we will come out stronger.
Have open conversations with your child about signing up for or receiving more tuition to help revise subjects in Term 4 Connect with your children through heart-to-heart conversations and encourage them to voice their anxieties. Ask if they feel added academic support is needed to help them through their final exams. Consider the option of online learning where your child learns from the safety of your home and acknowledge the fact that travelling time and expenses can be saved as a result.
Take this time to bond with your children With fear and uncertainty plaguing the world, everyone could do with more laughter and love in their lives. Create opportunities for conversation and fun with your family – have family meals together, go through old photographs of yourself and laugh out loud at the nostalgia of it all. Don’t be afraid to try your hand at new things too – scrapbooking, baking, or even challenging your children at holding a plank position for two minutes!
PAL Learning combines the best of both worlds. We provide convenience and savings for parents while ensuring that children receive tuition from tutors with specialised teaching methods and materials
Parents can benefit from a home-based learning format that also keeps our children safe. There is no commute and no gathering with other children in small, enclosed environments.
More information about PAL Learning can be found on our website at www.pal-learning.com or schedule a call with our customer service officers through this link.