My Twins’ First Week of Virtual Kindergarten

To say 2020 has been a somewhat strange year would be an understatement. Somewhere in between the months of curfew, lockdown and general global unrest, I have tried to imagine what virtual schooling would look like for my four-year-old’s. Will they be willing to sit in their chair throughout the whole lesson? How can I allow them to understand that this is their new normal? How am I able to sit with them, during their lesson, and entertain my other three-year-old as well? All these unknowns worried me, since this is certainly not how I imagined their first day of school would ever look like. However, I must also realize how lucky we have been to not have been affected by the pandemic.

On September 15, 2020, my twins started their first day of virtual school and it has been a crazy ride so far, but things have settled down. I thought I would share some virtual school tips that have helped my boys so far. I am in no way an expert nor do I have all the answers. However, I have spent some time in the trenches and hope what I say can help you.

Sprinkle Grace:

Give yourself, your kids and the school staff grace. This is new to all of us. Everyone is stressed, exhausted and honestly all confused. We all had to pivot and quickly learn a new way to do school. So, when things are chaotic and stressful, just take a deep breath and realize it’s okay. If something does not go well or how you imagined, it’s ok. It really is okay. Be kind to your little ones, no matter what their age is, as they are struggling too. Be kind to your school staff, they are exhausted too and trying their best. Grace needs to be sprinkled to everyone.

Communicate with Teachers:

Teachers are learning, just as we are, as they go. If you are having difficulty with assignments, technology, just tell them. Ask the teachers about their preferred mode of communication and use it. Most of the time, you are not the only parent with issues or struggles. This would allow the teacher address what needs to be addressed for the rest of the parents. They want to help and are there to help, just remember to show grace and kindness.

Suitable Work Space:

Set up an appropriate work space/environment for your little one. This will look different for every family and child. We decided to use our living room as their work space, since my twins are in the same class and it would be easier for them to watch the zoom meeting through the TV. Each twin has his own desk, separate school supplies with a few personal touches. Be flexible, but having a system in place to keep organized will really cut down on school stress.

Build your Tribe:

Building a tribe during a pandemic means having a support network to help answer a question or simply vent. You may send an SOS text to a friend when you need help understanding an assignment or texting another to vent when your internet is down. Its important to build your tribe and find people, perhaps fellow school moms, or whoever makes your smile and contact them. We might all feel alone right now, but we don’t have to be.