Several industries and sectors have been hit by the COVID-19 pandemic — and the academe is no exception. The changes brought upon by the “new normal” demand parents, students, and educational institutions like private elementary schools to keep an open mind and be collaborative in order to adapt and continually foster learning even during these strange times.

Undeniably, safety is paramount as the COVID-19 cases continue to rise day after day. As of writing, the tally is at around 9.1 million worldwide. But given this unfortunate situation, how can parents keep school-aged children healthy and learning? Here are eight essential tips.

Be a role model for practicing proper hygiene. Keep your calm and follow the government’s stay-at-home orders. While at your own abode, be the first to practice proper hygiene — like regular hand washing and bathing, and keeping your place clean — to set an example to your child. It also pays to know the basic symptoms of the disease to better monitor your household’s health status.

Explain the pandemic in an age-appropriate manner. From how serious COVID-19 is to why there’s a need to temporarily go to school physically, you need to keep your explanations as simple as possible to your kid. While making sure that you do not overwhelm him or her, it’s important to still be honest and transparent about the world’s situation.

Keep connected with your child’s school. Most educational institutions including private elementary schools are providing virtual learning experiences to keep students educated even during these tough times. So make sure to stay in touch with your child’s teachers and his or her school’s staff.

Take an active role in planning how to keep students engaged. With the current physical limitations, parents now more than ever are pivotal in ensuring their children are active and engaged even in a virtual classroom setup. They should also see to it that the lessons are being understood by their child.

Set and keep a routine. As your kid may be new to this web-based learning setting, you should help set the pace and atmosphere by keeping a routine — from wake-ups and bedtimes to meals and breaks.

Control screen time. It is expected that children will have more screen time while the stay-at-home order is still in effect. To prevent your kid from experiencing the consequences of spending too much time on gadgets, set rules on how and when they should be used — in relation to the bullet above.

Foster learning through play. Speaking of spending less screen time, you should encourage your kid to play sans tech gadgets. From fun movement games like freeze dance and jumping jacks to insightful memory games, you can use this time not only to foster learning but also to bond with your kid.

Help your child stay connected with the outside world. While learning institutions like private elementary schools do their part in educating students while physically apart, it is the parents’ role to help keep them socially active even from home. With controlled screen time in mind, use the technology to let your child have a video call or chat with relatives and friends.

At Los Gatos Christian School, we are your partners in inculcating virtues and ingraining academic excellence in your kids. This is why we are considered one of the private elementary schools today.