When the pandemic hit an initial break began. Covid-19 brought along lockdown, leading to the stay-at-home routine. After the economy and GDP, the most affected area was the education sector. The reopening of schools was a far sight because of the severity of Covid-19 circumstances. Parents had the biggest worry as their children’s education was at stake. The shifting of in-person classrooms to online education was just a cherry on top worry.

While online learning was a necessary replacement, it might be able to enhance the educational experience by parents working together with teachers to form a perfect experience for kids. Whereas for some it was a relief, online education became a burden for some of the working parents. Especially for parents who have toddlers, managing them is more of a task as they are unaware of the technology or sit for hours in front of the screen.

The biggest concern was will my toddler be able to do it or not? There were so many concerns that had to be addressed before I could decide if my kid should attend preschool. The thought that, will this online education be helpful for kids, increased stress. It was difficult to understand. As internet research was an easier option, a little research seemed to be the best way to understand what should be the next step. There were so many difficulties that came across such as:

• Attending classes that last from 30 minutes to an hour or more.
• Being Attentive in the online lectures, to learn what the teacher is teaching.
• Kids are often unable to stick in one place and listen especially via screens.
• The distractions they might face during the lecture where they will be seeing their friends on the screen.
• Kids are naïve minds, giving them access to technology could be a risk.
• In-house distractions leading to decreasing interest in learning.
• The increased screen time, affecting a child’s physical as well as mental health.
• The possibility of the continuous requirement of attention and interference.

The list could go on and on. There was a need to find a silver lining in this chaos. Parents play an important role in online education in coordination with teachers. This is only because, to make kids understand, how to work and cope up with online education. The unlisted side of the list showed numerous ways to overcome all these difficulties and go for pre-schooling. Here are few ways to enroll your kid in preschool without being bothered about the difficulties:

• Time management –The start is even before enrolling your kid into preschool. A continuous school schedule may differ from the online education system as it is from home. If you can set a schedule for your kid on a daily basis, it will be easier for them to adapt to the transition from in-person schooling to sit-at-home education. A scheduled day will help the kid to be at managing time. A mixture of set time for meals, school work, and extra-curricular will engage kids to stick to the routine. Help your kid to follow the schedule and stick to it. These schedules will be of real help when the online school starts and kids have to wake up on time to attend them. The toddlers are often more active in the morning, use it to their benefit but remember to implement one thing at a time for them to adapt to it.
• Reach out to teachers –Be more in contact with the educator of your child. A communication gap between the teacher and parent can prove to be a challenge in online education. Start having dialogues with your kid’s teacher from the beginning of the year, regarding your kid and any tips that would help the kid’s performance at home. Schedule weekly meetings with the teacher and understand what can be done on your part to help your kid. The technological difficulties with homework given to the kid can be a lot to handle. Contacting your kid’s teacher will help you get familiarized with the technology. Teachers can be of great help and they are willing to help. Having a commute with the teacher will keep you updated about if/any issues your kid is facing and how to overcome them.
• Avoid any distractions –There can be relatable distractions that could affect the kid’s attention during online lectures. A lot of class time during online lectures is on laptops, smartphones, and tablet screens. With online classes, comes along the accessibility of technology beyond just the lectures. Different distractions like social media videos, online videos, or online games can be a major distraction for a kid, which can come between online learning. In fact, the environment surrounding the kid can also be a distraction. Hideaway the toys, and create a quiet environment to comfort your kid. A few don’ts to keep in mind are, don’t let your kid attend online classes in bed, don’t allow your kid to wear night dress to their online lectures, and keep in mind to monitor them while online lectures are going on.
• Take breaks -A kid’s brain can only accept limited information at a time. A few breaks can give the child to relax and digest the online lectures. The online lectures increase screen timings which can harm the kid’s health in variety. The difficulty of sitting through an entire class can be overcome with the help of frequent breaks. Allow kids to exercise often, which will help them to focus more on their classes. The pre-school kids are extremely active and they need the break to re-energize themselves for online learning. Ask your kids to perform any form of physical activity during the short breaks in between classes. These breaks can also be used for a brainstorming session for kids to develop patience.
• Positivity –The environment around kids has a greater impact on their learning. Kids need constant reassurances and appreciation to be motivated and attend online classes. Environment not only around the house but during classes also affects the learning process. Assign kids to complete tasks and give them feedback as to how they have performed. Reward stickers and stars on the schoolwork while checking which will give a positive perspective to the kid. It is not necessary to bribe your kid with materialistic things but instead makes your way of reward.
• Keep in touch with their friends –Your flexibility will be of more help to the kid during the times of pandemic. Helping your kid to meet their friends via virtual platforms can bring cheer in them. Set timely online interactions with their friends and eliminate the social distancing protocol virtually. As the kid is new to the online schooling system, such virtual interactions will offer comfort. Including these interactions in the routine will make your kid feel connected to the outside world. In case the kid is unable to attain some tasks, help them to seek help from their friends and this will not only create a bond but help maintain it in the pandemic circumstances.

Pre-schooling is an important stage of a child’s early development period as it is the first step of the educational foundation. Kids start to develop emotional and social skills in the preschool itself which are the peer factors of confidence. Playing and socializing with other kids can help your kid to develop a sense of critical thinking. And most important pre-schools help kids to prepare for their elementary education. The top preschools of Pune- Lexicon Kids, have proved in a survey that kids who don’t skip pre-school tend to have more adaptability than the kids who skip pre-school. Lexicon Kids have supported the thought of the importance of pre-schooling and introduced different forms of guidance methods to help parents decide. It is a decision of your kid’s life, think it through before you conclude on anything and weigh every pro and con for your kid’s advantage.

 

Also Read: Best preschool in Pune

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