Coping With Learning At Home | Sandy Fowler | Episode 122

Parents are suddenly thrust into the position of teacher. Not only that, but they have to do it while adhering to someone else’s schedule and plan. Coping with learning at home is pushing many parents over the edge and causing their stress levels to soar. There are a lot of tips out there for managing logistics but there is more to it than that. Sandy Fowler shares insights and a mindset that helps families survive and thrive during this crazy time.

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A Favorite Quote from the Podcast: 

“Before worrying about learning from home details, determine your priorities for your child’s life as an adult. Who do you want them to be? What do they need to know?”

High Points From Our Conversation About Coping With Learning At Home:

Give yourself and your teenager a big, huge break. Things that happen or don’t happen right now will not make or break your child’s happiness for life.

Learning at home can be a great opportunity once we get past the stress and find our own path.

Determine your priorities. Forget about learning at home for the moment. Take a step back from all the lists, projects and schedules you’ve been given and decide what you really want for your child in the long run.

Create a game plan based on your priorities.

Set up your routine. Routines help everyone know what is expected of them. They also create a sense of normalcy and let us feel more in control. Feeling in control helps to reduce anxiety.

Be sure to start your routine with the foundational things your child (and the whole family!) needs: eat well, stay hydrated, and get enough sleep. Learning and everything associated with it will go better when your child’s brain and body have what they need to function properly.

Make sure you take into account alone time, together time, exercise, time to express feelings and the other times that are essential for good emotional well being.

Set the stage for learning by getting creative.

Get outside.

Use this time of learning at home to help your teenager or twenty something learn life skills. 

Let the kids help cook, wash up, clean the house, work on the car, do yard work, organize family meal planning, work on their finances. Let them help with your business if there is something they can do.

Learn together. Learning something together is a great way to strengthen a relationship.

Share some of the responsibility for your child’s learning. Connect up with another parent, or 2 or 3, and divvy up responsibilities. Or allow your child to lay out a learning plan for themselves based on the priorities you determined together. And allow The Great Courses Plus to take off some of the pressure. Use their educational courses, skills courses, hobby courses and more to get extra support, spark interest, or open up a new area of learning for your child.

Resources Mentioned in Show:

Episode 119 Dr. Anthony Rao talks about healthy parenting strategies during the pandemic.

The Great Courses Plus – 30 day free trial at www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/mightyparenting  

Dr. Terri Orbuch talked to us about keeping a marriage strong in episode 57.

Your Host Sandy Fowler:

Sandy Fowler is a stress-relief coach, emotional-wellness speaker, and podcast host who is passionate about helping people make powerful choices that impact their lives in the best possible way. Whether she is speaking to a group, hosting a podcast, coaching a client, or leading a guided meditation session, she is always helping busy women and parents find simple ways to make life better. Her natural curiosity paired with her down-to-earth, practical approach to living, working, and prospering allows her to help them reduce stress, create emotional wellness, and take their lives back from the busyness of modern-day living.

To learn more or connect with Sandy visit sandyfowler.com 

Our Sponsors: 

The Great Courses Plus—Streaming courses to keep your family entertained, learning and growing. (30 day free trial at www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/mightyparenting)

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