Some Tips for Maarif Online Families

Subhanallah! These are certainly strange times. Many of us are struggling with the stressors of having everyone at home all. the. time. We are cooking every meal and doing sinks full of dishes. We are trying to work from home or worrying about finances if we are unable to work. And perhaps most challenging, we are having to help our kids keep up with their schoolwork and learn new skills. 

In’sha’Allah the following are some tips that may help to alleviate some stress from your lives. Bear in mind that there are many scenarios. No one solution or idea will fit every family. The number of children will vary. Issues in multiple kid homes like sharing devices for schoolwork, having so many people underfoot, and juggling the needs of so many different personalities will differ greatly from single kid homes. There the issue might be loneliness for the child or having no one to play with because friends and cousins are locked down in their own homes.

See which ideas are helpful and try to implement them in your homes.

Tip #1 Make a Daily Schedule

Children (and most adults) thrive on routine and order. It’s comforting to know when to expect what each day, especially when so much else about life is out of our control.

Check the times of the online sessions, virtual classes, and assignment due dates for each child. Based on that, make a schedule for and with each child. Encourage older children to make their own schedules.

Have a set time when each child should get up and begin working. Maarif Online has a daily expectation of online availability from 9-2. When not in classes, children should be working on assignments. The schedule will enable you to build in breakfast, snack, lunch, and exercise times.

When classes and online sessions are scheduled, build in an extra 10 minutes to log in. Students are expected to be on time. If they have an issue, the extra time will give them a chance to contact the teacher and let him or her know there is a link problem or other issue. Teachers will be locking classrooms a few minutes after start time to prevent distractions.

Having a schedule with built in breaks will give your child a sense of accomplishment as he or she can check off each item on the list.  This is helpful for younger students to know “how much longer till break?” You can easily find free online charts here.

Tip #2  Give your Kids Chores

As kids grow and develop, it is vital to have them see that their work matters. Now that everyone is home, it’s a great time to start assigning age appropriate tasks to your children. They will develop positive self-esteem as they see the value of their work to the family and it will take some of the burden off you as the parent. Pre-K and kindergarten kids can help with setting the table or sorting laundry. Older children can help prepare meals, bake and clean. Middle school kids can take out the trash and sort recycling. By high school, all children should know how to do their laundry and clean a bathroom. Parents can create a simple chore wheel to encourage children to get jobs done around the house.

Tip #3 Have some Activities you can do with your Children

Encourage children to finish schoolwork during the 9-2 hours so they can fully relax until the next school day. Parents can encourage children to do simple art projects, to write, or simply color. You can watch a good movie as a family or do a jigsaw puzzle together.

Tip #4 Speak Honestly with your Children

Many children do not understand what is going on right now. They sense the stress and anxiety their parents are feeling but have no frame of reference to fully comprehend it. While it’s not a good idea to be glued to news and information channels all the time, it is beneficial to ask your kids if they have any questions and to speak with them honestly and in age appropriate ways about what Covid19 is, and how it is impacting our communities.  Younger kids can watch this. Older kids might enjoy this from CNN10 which provides informational videos 10 minutes long for middle and high school students. 

Tip #5 Know that You Are Doing Your Best

None of us has ever been in a situation like this before. Therefore none of us is perfect at handling this new reality every day. The very best we can do as Muslims is to put our trust in Allah and to know that He has a plan and a purpose in all of this. We can try to be patient with ourselves and our children as we navigate each day's new challenges. Remember to be gentle with yourselves and others. In'sha'Allah together we will get through this. 

All the best, 

Sr. Ozlem and Sr. Pam