From Mrs Barr's Desk - Week 4

Cleaning and clearing – some of us are doing a spot of spring cleaning in Autumn? There are many ways to use this home time. Our families are in unique circumstances with remote learning.

We are in the fourth week of remote learning. Grade 5/6H have been trialling video conferencing using Webex where students and teachers can check in. Meg Hubbard and Ryan Evans have been trialling this platform before it is introduced across the school. More information will be sent out in the coming weeks as teachers learn about this and how to host the class time and the protocols for students. This is an exciting addition for students to remain connected to their teachers and classmates in this temporary time.

Tidying up the Green Mile

Our remote library has started. Families can come up to school through the day on Wednesdays to return and borrow books. The 'library' is set up outside near the front automatic doors under the portico. Students can choose from an array of books for all levels. Thanks to Lynette Ellis who has set this up.

Something to share with you:

Thank you. Thank you for rising to the IT challenge. Thank you for being kind to your child’s teacher, even though if you hear, ‘But Miss XYZ doesn’t do it like that’ one more time when you are trying to help your child learn, you will probably scream!

Thank you for having reservations about home-schooling and then doing it anyway.

Thank you for doing your best to get this whole thing right when you are stressed out of your brain about working from home, entertaining your kids, trying to teach them and just missing your friends, family and familiar daily routine.

Be kind to yourselves and your kids. We have all adapted to more change in the last four weeks than we’ll hopefully ever have to do again. And you’ve done it! You’re doing it, every day, even though you may be feeling broken.

I read an article recently about a working mum with two primary school aged sons on the Autism spectrum (and one had ADHD too). She spoke about watching her Facebook news feed fill up with beautiful colour-coded schedules, pictures of detailed learning activities, and articles about limiting screen time.

Here are this amazing lady’s rules for her family’s “new normal”.

My 5 Parenting Rules for Letting Go and Getting through the Coronavirus Crisis

By Amanda Morin

Rule 1

Our ‘schedule’ can change based on the day and the kids.

There’s no one schedule that works right now. It depends on the day, what’s on everybody’s plate, and how everybody is coping.

Rule 2

We’re not worrying about screen time.

I know there are guidelines for how much screen time is appropriate for kids, and that kids with ADHD can have a harder time managing screen time. But nothing is normal right now.

At home learning requires the kids to be on screens. Social distancing means that the only way my kids – who struggle with maintaining friends at the best of times - can socialise with their friends is through video chat or gaming together.

And for all of us, watching TV or movies is a distraction from our own very loud, anxious thoughts. We need that.

Rule 3

We make exercise and outdoor time a priority.

With two people in the family who have ADHD, staying inside is hard. They’re restless, and that makes all of us restless. And neither of them can sleep at night when they haven’t got enough exercise in the day.

Rule 4

Everybody’s mental well-being comes first.

Even if that means some of the schoolwork doesn’t get done, being OK comes first.

We chose not to have our 10-year-old join in a video social skills group where the discussion might centre around worries kids are having right now. Once he starts worrying and talking about coronavirus he can’t stop.

And it’s not just the kids’ mental well-being we’re looking out for. We’re limiting our news intake. I’m trying to take time away from my desk so I can tend to my own mental health. I can’t support my family if I’m not OK.

Rule 5

Doing my best is going to have to be good enough.

I always tell my kids they can’t do better than the best they can do. It’s advice I’m going to have to take right now. Amid all this uncertainty, my best isn’t as good as it typically would be. I’m distracted and worried, and it affects my productivity. But it’s still the best I can do. And I can’t do any better than that.

After the earthquakes in Christchurch New Zealand kids missed a whole term of school. And there was no online learning or emailing the teacher either. But results did not suffer, and high school students did not drop out of school.

Parents who have taken their kids out of school for a term, or a year, to travel Australia have also found their children were not worse off from an extended gap from the classroom.

This doesn’t mean that students shouldn’t embrace online opportunities for term two, but let’s not get stressed about it. When we get back to the old normal the recovery will be reasonably quick.

Take this time to get to know your kids and family in a way you’ll probably (hopefully) never have again. Do you what you can. You are enough.

This is a challenging time so keep well and safe. Look for the positives in this unique time with your family and whatever you are doing it is enough!

I will finish with a message to the Rangeview Community from the Premier of Victoria

Some Indoor Ideas to Share With Your Children

eSmart

APP WATCH: MESSENGER KIDS (Facebook)