You may be finding your child is frustrated or resisting distance learning right now. That is very normal. Your child is in survival mode, along with pretty much the rest of the world. Everyone is worried about the future and health and safety of loved ones, and children absorb the stress their loved ones feel. When physically or emotionally stressed, the body is wired to respond to that stress by focusing on elements of survival (food, safety, shelter). The uncertainty we are all feeling is paramount in children’s minds, and this makes it harder for them to focus on school work. Give yourself grace. Give your child grace. Give their teacher grace. Think about what you want your child to remember most about this time period. Is it wonderful memories of spending time together reading, taking long walks and exploring nature, playing Yatzee together? Take this time to explore new ideas your child is interested in, or activities that have been put on the back shelf for a while. Here is a link to a short video by Jacob Ham that discusses children’s response to trauma and its effect on learning. It’s written for teachers but is perfect for parents as well!
Understanding Trauma: Learning Brain vs Survival Brain by Jacob Ham, Ph.D
This is great! Thank you!