Navigating the challenges of Covid-19 has taken a toll on most, if not all, of families. Everything happens all at once, you find that you have to be a parent, an employee, and a teacher if your child is schooled at home. Dealing with the hustle and bustle of everyday life, online school has made it pretty easy for parents to juggle busy lives to make ends meet. Understandably, things aren’t always going smoothly. The novelty of having school at home may be a bit thin, so the main question is, how do we keep our children academically engaged—and happy about it?

Conventional school gives a sense of comfort, social interaction with peers, and structure. This change in routine is uncomfortable and distressing. But being at home tends to give every child a comfortable haven to navigate all these feelings, fears and challenges, to cry if they need to, or to grab the hug that they need—even from that busy parent.

Have structure and make learning fun

Loguercio, a hospital based teacher at John Hopins says you can set your child up for success with a modest amount of structure and an appealing learning environment. “Get ready for the day just as you would for school,” Loguercio says. “Prepare lunch, and snacks ahead of time.

Create a “classroom” workspace and make it fun! For older children, you can spic things up by having them move to different rooms in the house for different subjects or “classrooms.” Accept that your child’s learning is going to look very different right now, and that teachers are learning as they work to adapt their classrooms as quickly as possible. Create a question board, and do not hesitate to contact your teachers during their office hours with any questions you may have.

Set targets and celebrate their completion. Since so much has been stripped of our daily lives, having something to look forward to can help children stay motivated. Setting up small rewards, like watching a favorite TV show, can help them tackle that unpleasant math assignment. Get the whole family in on it. If you all set a few goals and plan breaks together, your kids will see that you’re a team.

Get creative with lessons. Doing a science experiment, for example, or cooking with measurements, can be a good way to bring lessons to life and consider your child’s strengths. If they love to draw and write, it’s a good time to set them free with pencils and paper.