How Can We Nurture Young Minds Learning At Home?

Hi Everyone, Hope you are well and more important keeping safe during these times. There seems to be a positive outlook on the horizon, the pandemic we are winning the battle however going into a 'new normal'.

How has the impact been for Youngsters? I speak only for my teen daughter, however I see from viewing social media, the press, the media...there has been a common ground of concern..... homeschooling!

It's not so much the education from home, although it is somewhat easier having the accessibility of teachers face to face in a classroom. However, it's more rather the simple routine youngsters are missing. Surprised you may be, but they actually thrive in routine, thrive in a classroom environment and the social element of school. The simple sound of the alarm clock they once loathed, now becomes a sound they are longing to hear! Getting dressed and rushing off to school making sure they are in before the bell rings to start the day. This is all their normal, the normal they have been used to. The annoying peer in class, the sometimes bad day they have in class, some days tired and prefer being at home is now a thing of the past! Youngsters are at home in a new phase of their learning experience, a new outlook of their home environment finding it difficult to separate the home life from school life.

With change, comes anxiety and that's what many youngsters are facing at the moment. Their parents they said goodbye to in the morning, the noise of a younger sibling (in my case a toddler) changing the dynamics of the household. We as parents, often overlook the changes they are enduring and the struggles they may be battling inside their head.

My Daughter has said to me on a few occasions 'Mum, how do you work from home? Isn't it lonely? How do you stay motivated etc Yes, it has its drawbacks when you are at home, self discipline is a must and myself as a working Mother have to be disciplined and have a schedule. For youngsters, this can be extremely difficult without having a fixed schedule of going to school and takes some patience and understanding from us parents.

There has been a rise in anxiety in the home life for youngsters and their families due to the pressure on both sides...A The Pupil often feeling frustrated if they are finding difficulty with a subject and not doing well without real contact and B The Parent has now took on the role of a Teacher. A role they have to fit in with all the other responsibilities in their household.

The main important message throughout all of this is nurturing your child's mental health through this situation. It's a big change with lack of social interaction with their peers, they can feel isolated and insecure. With this can come anxiety and depression. To keep your child's mind healthy...and yours..is to chat at the beginning of each day, knowing what your child has to do that day? Any thing they may need help with...preparation for an exam? Obtaining the objects they need for a home project in plenty of time for their deadline...Mostly it's being supportive and a listening ear when they have concerns. Ask your child at the end of each day, how they felt they managed with their workload, did they enjoy it? What do they feel they need more assistance with? What didn't they like? What could they do better? It really helps their mind set that its ok to not have a great day every day, we are all learning through life and some days are better than others. Tomorrow is another day! When they know this, it balances the equilibrium in their brain reducing the stress and tension and helps them to focus and see more clearly. If they can write down in a journal how they are feeling each day, their pent up frustrations are released, their achievements are noted for self esteem and their challenges are clear to turn into a goal they can overcome.

The mental health of you as a parent is important too! Ensure you have all the necessary support during these times with children at home learning. Make sure you have what you need for your day, know what you and your child are doing for the day, set a schedule in the day for breaks creating fun times with your youngsters, they need as much laughter, tension releasing fun activities more than ever right now. Just listening to music, doing some art work with your youngsters really lifts both your moods. I find a daily walk with kids in the fresh air stimulates the endorphins eliminating stress and encouraging relaxation.

Finally, rest is important! During these times, I've found for some reason my sleep pattern has been disturbed...too much going on around my brain. My Daughter has been the same. It's important for youngsters to have a good nights rest whilst learning from home. The change in their lifestyle now and the impact on mental health can keep youngsters awake at night. A good healthy diet and a good nights rest, really aids learning and a happy mental health!

Stay safe everyone! x