This Is How COVID Helped Us Quit Traditional Schooling

di wakes up, and gets ready, - Mom screams from the bathroom. She rushes to put the rice in the cooker, she reheats some vegetables. She goes to the bedroom to check on Adi but he is snoring to glory. She pulls him out and drags him to the bathroom. He is crying and screaming, she rubs him and dresses him but still, his eyes are closed. she wakes him and forces breakfast into his mouth. She checks his bag, packs his lunch, and drops him at school. She is guilty of this routine, but she is helpless, day by day life goes like this.

She hates to start her day like this but she has to because she wants her son to get a good education. She is not wrong, traditional schools are good, they have been around for centuries and have produced great results. But she feels like something is missing, something that could make her son's life better.

Then comes the COVID, and schools are closed suddenly. There is no school for a few days and then the school announces online sessions. Adi starts attending online sessions for 3 - 4 hours every day. He is happy, he wakes up when he wants. He has enough time to eat and have thousands of discussions on the table. He loves it.

The surprising thing is the same boy who resented the morning drill, wakes up and gets ready for the sessions. He arranges his books and does his assignments diligently.

He loves to participate when his mom cooks lunch, he chops vegetables and talks unlimited. Mom helps him study maths and he says "ma, it's so easy when you teach. Can you help me in maths from now on". Mom is more than happy to help.

There is a change in Adi, he loves to learn, and he tells his mom to fix a time when they could sit together to learn. He makes his timetable and shares it with his mom. Now they have enough time in the mornings, they decide to practice yoga together. They do meditation together followed by reciting positive affirmations together.

Adi participates in house chores , he helps his mom with laundry, and clearing the table. He asks his mom to join him in playing football in the evening. Slowly the evenings become their bonding time, they play, talk, have dinner together and learn something new every day.

This would not have been possible with regular school, there is hardly any time left in the mornings in a tight schedule.

Their days were packed with learning from various resources:

Podcasts- They start their day listening to some fun podcasts, their favourite is by Dav Pikley author of Captain Underpants.

Learning materials- There are free resources made available by Scholastic called Scholastic Learn at Home. This was free during the COVID.

Art- Adi is enjoying art classes by Wendy Mac and never forgets to attend her sessions, She goes live every day.

Earth School Sessions -This program was co-created by UNEP and Ted-Ed to provide kids, parents, and teachers all over the world with engaging nature-focused content to stay connected to nature during the global COVID-19 pandemic, They completed 30 quests and learned various things

https://ed.ted.com/earth-school

Fitness Classes- They joined fitness sessions by @bodycoach, along with that Adi's mom teaches him yoga and they do yoga and meditation early in the mornings.

There are enough materials online to keep kids busy and learning all day long, the key is to find what works best for your child.

Some days they would just spend time reading books, playing with lego, or cooking.

The Schools were about to open but they had discovered the joy of learning together and decided to continue with the same.

There was no going back now, they had decided to continue with their happy learning journey.

Adi was loving this setup, it was peaceful, fun, and doable.

But was it possible? Would this be a long-term solution?

The key was finding the right resources and making a schedule that worked for them. Adi's mom would have to work remotely, so she quit her job and started working remotely. There are many options to explore now if you one would want to work remotely.

Adi continued his online classes and he had enough time to pursue things he wanted. He gets a lot of time to play outdoors, he loves nature now. He spends hours talking to his grandparents and cousins. He has made many new friends online who share similar interests.

Adi's mom was also happy, she was getting more time to do things she loved. She started her blog, she creates posts about education and parenting to help other parents.

Overall, it was a happy experience for both of them. They wouldn't have had it any other way.

What worked for them may not work for everyone but the beauty of finding your learning program is that it can be tailored to your unique needs and interests. There are no limits to what you can learn or explore.

This is why we chose an alternative to traditional school:

1) They wanted more flexibility in their schedules.

2) They wanted to focus on things that they were passionate about.

3) They wanted to spend more time together as a family.

4) They wanted to learn at their own pace.

5) They wanted to have more control over their learning environment.

6) They wanted to connect with other like-minded individuals.

7) They wanted to explore the world and learn about new cultures.

8) They wanted to prepare for their future in a way that traditional school could not provide.

10) They wanted to have fun while they were learning!

11) They didn't want to worry about tests or grades.

So if you are thinking of making a switch, here are some things to consider:

1. Assess your situation- this is a big decision and it would be ideal to take some time out to understand what you are looking for and what are your expectations.

2. Research- Once you know what you want, it would be easier to research and find the right resources. There are many, many options available these days.

3. Take the plunge- Once you have made your decision, there is no turning back. Make a plan and stick to it.

For them, this arrangement worked- 

Adi was happy, mom was happy and they had more time for each other. They would never go back to the traditional school system.

COVID has brought a new change in their lives, a change for the better.