Parents have had a difficult task over the last few years: helping kids learn online without letting technology use affect their well-being. During this time, we’ve seen the American education system evolve and shift dramatically.
With the pandemic hitting the nation by storm, schools shifted to online educational models, and parents had to adapt to the new way of doing things. It hasn’t been easy. Now, many kids are back to school but online learning is playing a bigger role than it was before COVID-19 changed everything.
While some kids enjoy attending classes virtually, it hasn’t been a smooth transition for most. If you’ve been watching your child struggle with online learning, then you might be wondering how you can help. Here are some tips for helping your child with stress in online learning and dealing with the common problem of digital fatigue.
What is Digital Fatigue?
Technology has provided our world with many benefits, but there are some major downsides to our overwhelming dependence on devices with glowing screens and applications that demand our attention 24/7.
Digital fatigue is a form of exhaustion that’s brought on by too much screen time. With screens being used for both work and entertainment, digital fatigue is on the rise.
Today’s, kids are used to living with technology, but they’re not immune to the impact of digital fatigue. As a parent, you need to be responsible for helping your kids manage their time and use of technology so they can stay happy, healthy, and well-rested.
Tips for Helping Your Kids
Both adults and children can struggle in online learning environments or be affected by digital fatigue. Parents can help by being proactive and understanding what kids need to succeed in today’s tech-centric world.
1. Accept that digital learning is the new normal
Online classes were becoming popular before the pandemic, but mostly for college students.
Parents are often worried about the effect of technology on their kids’ well-being when they are required to use screens for classes, but accepting that this is the new reality for education will help you figure out how to balance your child’s screen time to prevent digital fatigue.
Technology in the classroom is here to stay and you have to be ready to shift your mindset.
2. Create a supportive learning environment
Every child is different, and it’s important to create a learning environment that will support your child.
That will include having all the materials and equipment they need for assignments, creating a workspace that promotes focus, and creating a schedule that works for the family.
You can set goals together and check them off to make sure all their work is completed.
3. Understand what kind of help they need
Parents help kids learn at every stage of human development. However, the help they should provide will change over time, as kids become more independent.
How you help your kindergartener with online learning will be very different from how you help your teen.
4. Ensure you’re getting all necessary communications and updates
A lot can get lost in translation if your child doesn’t check messages or communicate with you about their teachers’ expectations.
Make sure you know how school officials and teachers send digital messages and check them regularly so you can stay on top of things and help your children succeed.
5. Aim for increasing understanding
One of the best things you can do as a parent is to help your children understand the material they’re learning so they can complete their assignments.
It’s important that you don’t do the work for your children and instead ask questions and explain concepts as needed to help them understand. Your role is to provide support and help them think through problems, not make everything as easy as possible.
6. Carve out time for non-digital activities and set limits
Kids will want to use technology in their downtime, in addition to using devices for school. While it’s not realistic to expect that all their free time will be spent on analog activities, you can help prevent digital fatigue by carving out time for activities that don’t involve a screen. Setting limits on screen time, such as no phones before bed, can help too.
Know Your Child & Personalize Your Support
Parents have a huge advantage when it comes to helping their kids: they know them better than anyone else. When your children need help with online learning or they’re struggling with digital fatigue, take a pause and use your knowledge of them to come up with personalized ways to support them.
It’s not always easy, but it can lead to optimal learning and greater well-being! Do you have questions about these tips on helping your child with stress in online learning and dealing with the common problem of digital fatigue? Please leave a comment below.