The transition from face-to-face classes to a fully remote learning setup has been challenging, especially for the parents. From keeping their kids away from boredom to ensuring that they are focused in school, parents have never been as busy when it comes to ensuring their kids remain engaged despite the restrictions of distance learning.
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| Photo credit: Kara Crisostomo’s personal photo |
As we are well into our second school year in lockdown, licensed psychologist, professional teacher, and mom of two Kara Crisostomo shared that among the biggest challenges in distance learning is keeping students engaged due to pandemic fatigue. Similarly, parents reporting back to their offices means they also need to have the energy to keep up with their child’s schoolwork.
To help parents and their kids everywhere conquer another school year at home, Kara together with Nestlé Wellness Campus (NWC) and KOKO KRUNCH share four crucial tips to help make distance learning easier than ever:
Start the day right with a delicious, healthy and affordable breakfast. Good nutrition, health, and wellness are essential for a healthy body and mind. Starting the day with a delicious and nutritious breakfast is vital now more than ever for kids so they have the energy they need for a great day of learning.
“A healthy breakfast will help keep kids active and engaged during online learning, especially when they’re sitting in front of a laptop without any physical interaction. Since our mornings are usually short and rushed, breakfast consists of quick and easy-to-prepare meals like cereals, sandwiches, and milk which our kids would love,” shared Kara.
One example of a delicious, healthy and affordable breakfast combo is a whole grain cereal bowl paired with milk and fruits. KOKO KRUNCH makes a good choice as it provides the great chocolatey taste that kids love AND the energy from wholegrain cereals. This, while providing B-vitamins & Iron to help make this energy available for the body. Milk is high in protein and calcium while fruits have fiber and Vitamin C.
Provide a more conducive learning environment at home. It can be as simple as setting up a table, computer, and chair for them in one part of the house or even making one room into a designated study or work place. Their books, art materials, and any other relevant school materials can be organized here. The children can also place their own decors that will keep them inspired when they work.
Kara explained, “Having a proper set-up prompts them to know when and where to do their school work. This can also help them alleviate distractions and be more focused when needed in completing their assignments.”
Serving delicious, healthy and affordable snacks during breaks, like a bowl of KOKO KRUNCH, may also help kids think better and concentrate on their lessons. Parents don’t have to worry with the nutrients their kids are getting because one serving of KOKO KRUNCH already provides 38% of iron1 and about 60%2 of Vitamins B3 and B6 needed for the day3.
Keep connected with the children’s school and teachers. Whether it’s messaging through the school’s learning platform or staying active in a parent’s group chat, establish lines of communication to stay up to date with requirements and gather support for school work.
Kara shared that in her son’s school, parents can communicate with teachers through their learning management system and can also email school admins for other concerns. They also have a chat group for parents which has been very active since the pandemic started. “Having this communication line with co-parents can also help when guiding our children with their school work,” Kara said.
Find time to be proactive in a child’s learning development. Despite having a long day at work, it’s crucial for a parent to be on top of their child’s learning. This can be done by being familiar with their children’s lessons, helping with assignments daily, or simply checking on them.
Kara shared parents cannot expect the same things from their children as they did before the pandemic. “We cannot press our children to make sure that they get everything right in school. Let us give them the space they need especially when they want to relax.”
This can be supported by having a family movie night at home, ordering food from a place the kids usually enjoy, or even as simple as dancing to Nestlé Wellness Campus’ Dancercise program. Find anything that can help the children unwind and recharge. Doing so can help maintain their motivation and engagement in school.
Nestlé, as the Kasambuhay sa Kalusugan, acknowledges that nutrition, health, and wellness are all key in getting through the new school year. This also highlights the value of delicious, healthy, and affordable breakfast meals like KOKO KRUNCH as it is essential to keep children nourished for the day ahead.
These are only some of the many resources that parents can access through NWC. Join the Nestlé Wellness Homeroom Facebook Group to learn more about how you can make the new normal schooling experience more fun and engaging for you and your children.
1Iron percentage is based on the Recommended Energy and Nutrient Intakes (RENI) per 30g serving. This Percent RENI value is based on FNRI reference child requirement of 7-9 years old (RENI, 2002).
2Based on percent RENI per 30g serving.
3Based on RENI reference child requirement of 7-9 years old (RENI, 2002).
