The physical closures of schools due to the Coronavirus has caught a lot of people off guard. A few countries, mostly in Europe, have reopened their schools by introducing strict guidelines for sanitisation, social distancing and the usage of masks. However, in populous countries where the pandemic is still at large, schools and colleges have largely moved to online schooling. Children are now spending a large chunk of their day in front of a laptop/gadget, learning their lessons online. This is a new normal for all the stakeholders involved including educators, parents and most importantly, the students. Here are a few tips to help your child prepare for online classes.

1. Get organised beforehand: Make sure that you have everything you need to start 15-20 minutes prior to the session. Books, stationary and all other raw materials that are required for a particular session needs to be at arm’s length in order to avoid chaos during the session. Good planning relieves stress for both children and parents. 
2. Clutter-free space: Reducing clutter helps the child focus on studying. If your child is going to be learning from home full-time, you need to create a clutter-free space. If your child already has a special place to study, great otherwise, a dining table would do just fine.
3. Supervision: With no one to physically supervise, a child may tend to fall asleep. While you don’t want to invade your child’s privacy, it is good to occasionally check on them and ask if they need anything to supplement their sessions.
4. Reduce distractions: During study hours, you will have to reduce distractions as much as possible. Things like television, computers, smart devices, video games, toys or even pets need to be off limits to a child, and even for the parents. Make a list of all the things that may potentially be a distraction and make sure they are off limits.
5. Invest in comfort: This goes for both your child and you. Since most of us are confined to working from home and will most likely be sitting for a long period everyday, invest in a really good chair which is ergonomically comfortable. This will benefit your neck and spine a lot in the long run.