For kids who have never experienced home schooling, having mom or dad – or both – now play that role is very hard. It’s important to:

1.  Create a learning environment somewhere in the house. Treat it as the classroom and separate it out from other areas in the house. 

2.  Create school hours. Several of the families in my practice have the kids go outside their door and adjust to the idea of school, then line up and come in to the school setting at home. It’s funny and it has helped. Parent school should have roughly the same schedule as school did, including breaks and time outdoors, weather permitting.

3.  Start the day with the school connection so they can get in the mode. A lot of kids have online assistance or actual instruction that is also helpful. 

4.  Give them breaks at the end of the day and time to socialize with friends over Facebook, or some other social website, as the kids are greatly missing the social aspects of going to school. 

5. Let them know you are the teacher's helper and that you are going to follow the school’s directives and so are they. Reward them when they adjust well. Try to find something funny in every day. 

6.  Be patient with yourself. Kids are not used to listening to you in this way and it’s new. Give yourself and them some time to adjust. 

7.  Problem solve. Talk to your kids and get their ideas about how to get them the help they need so you can all get through this. Often, when we honestly share our feelings with our kids, they offer amazing insight.