Planning of the Educational Workload for the Child with Consideration of the Resources of the Parents
Modern parents are forced to regularly face overloads. They are concerned not only about children, but themselves. You have to do homework, take extra classes, prepare for exams, extracurricular competitions, and so on. All this requires the direct involvement of parents.
Unfortunately, when planning the workload is not always taken into account a simple but very important factor. These are the resources of parents. This is especially true for moms, who have different opportunities every day. Their emotional and physiological resources are constantly changing. And if you ignore them, it can provoke burnout and conflict.
Why Parental Resources Matter
The education of children is not only school and teachers. The atmosphere at home plays a huge role. If parents are calm, attentive, and emotionally stable, the child will find it easier to concentrate and assimilate new materials. If parents are tired, overwhelmed, and irritated, even simple homework can be a real stress for the whole family.
Each parent has certain resources:
- energy;
- patience;
- concentration;
- emotional involvement, etc.
The indicators are not constant and can change under the influence of various factors. It is stress, sleep regime, physiological processes in the body, etc.
Child Learning and the Female Cycle: How They’re Connected
To some, it may seem strange and illogical, but the menstrual cycle has a huge impact on the child. It is a natural part of every woman’s life. The cycle directly depends on the well-being, mood, cognitive functions, and energy level. Many modern moms use ovulation tests to track their mood and condition, plan the next few days, and distribute the load.
The ovulation period often gives increased energy, makes thinking clear, and improves communication skills. Other phases can provoke increased fatigue and the need for a quieter rhythm.
Of course, every woman is unique and individual. But understanding one’s own condition allows one to more flexibly approach the organization of their children’s education, planning daily tasks, etc.
How to Consider the State When Planning Studies
The first and important step is observation. You can keep a journal with notes about health, energy level, and emotional background. This condition monitoring allows you to identify certain patterns. It does not require any special medical knowledge. The most important thing in this situation is to be honest with yourself.
Based on observations, it will be easier to allocate tasks. For example, when you have more power and energy, plan to break down new topics, prepare for the test, and explain the most complex items. When the energy level is low, focus on the repetition of the material, independent work of the child, and other less stressful learning formats.
Flexibility Against Hard Schedules
One of the most common mistakes is trying to keep a strict schedule and a tight schedule. But such an approach very often provokes conflicts, reduced learning productivity, and guilt. So it’s much more effective to stick to a flexible plan. According to it, you will be able to reschedule the classes but not face negative consequences from doing so.
Flexibility teaches your child another very useful skill. It’s the ability to adapt. He sees and understands that change is always possible. In addition, for the child as well as for the mother, it is important to rest and have time for recovery. This form of training allows the formation of a healthy and correct attitude to perform tasks in the long term.
Importance of Family Responsibility
If there is an opportunity in the family to share participation in the educational process between adults, it significantly reduces the burden. On days when the mother is more difficult to be involved with, some of the tasks may be taken over by another adult or child himself if age permits.
This approach reduces emotional stress and shows the child an example of teamwork. This mustn’t be perceived as a «rejection» but as a normal distribution of roles.
The Key Goal is the Child’s Autonomy
Keeping track of parents’ resources does not mean that the adult is always present next to the textbooks. On the contrary, it is an opportunity to gradually develop the child’s autonomy. During the days when the parent is not so active you may stimulate the self-completion of tasks with the following soft control.
This makes them less reliant on external assistance and makes the child more confident. Consequently, everyone in the process is benefited.
Final Thoughts
Agreeing on the amount of workload that the child will work, considering the resources of the parents, will be one of the steps on the way to a more peaceful family life.
It is the knowledge of personal states, adaptability and respect to personal capabilities which assist the learning process to be less stressful and more productive. This, in the long term, leads to academic achievement, as well as to emotional well-being of the entire family.