Chennai: For over a year, children of all ages have been continuing their education through online learning systems.

While it has its perks, it has also been an area of stress for families who are required to support their children as they navigate their devices and explore digital learning tools. Psychologist and EQ Coach, Nivetha Raj from a leading educational enterprise shares a few thoughts for parents and families to ease the online learning experience, which is here to stay for a while longer.

Online learning has created a radical shift, for educators, parents and the children. During a time when children are confined within their homes, providing such a platform helps nurture the child’s overall development by giving them an opportunity to share thoughts, ask questions, feel loved, build a routine, develop self-esteem and learn with digital learning tools and home-based activities.

It makes them feel emotionally connected despite being socially distant. However, it has not been entirely easy and it can create moments of fatigue for the entire family behind the scenes.

Here are some ideas for families that to make the online learning experience more fun and meaningful, she says.

Create a learning zone for your child, an environment meant exclusively for their online class experience. Identify whether your child is an auditory, visual or kinesthetic learner and nurture that with hands-on resources. Converse with your child every day. Make it a priority to constantly ask about their day and their feelings, she adds.

Participate in online classes as appropriate, become your child’s guide and cheerleader.

She adds: “Create an in-house reward system. Provide perks and privileges that motivate them. Help your child build a daily routine with enough time to rest, play, learn, eat and spend time with family. Reduce screen time outside of online classes. Redirect energy into games, sports, hobbies, or extracurricular activities. Be well informed about the school’s schedule, their teaching methods and engage in parent-teacher interactions,” she states.

Families need to accept that virtual learning cannot replace the physical classroom. However, online learning has been pivotal in ensuring that a child’s learning and development isn’t compromised. At the end of the day it’s team work, with the teachers, parents and children coming together to keep the learning going, Nivetha Raj winds up.