What are some tips for supporting my child’s distance learning while the parents are also trying to work from home? originally appeared on Quora, the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. You can follow Quora on Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus.

I won’t lie, when we started distance learning for our K and 1st grader we had no idea what we were in for. The teachers genuinely did their best, but the first few weeks were a complete and utter shitshow. That said, it did get better, and after a significant learning curve, we basically made it work. Here are a few things that helped us.

* Create a schedule for the school day and stick to it. At first we thought that being flexible would be make our lives easier, but we quickly learned that our kids needed a routine and structure in their day. Without a schedule, we were fighting the “no you cannot watch TV yet” battle constantly; with a schedule, they knew there was no point even asking until school “ended” at 3pm. This also made it much easier for my husband and I to trade off and be sure we were enforcing the same rules. Oh, and side note: don’t assume young kids really understand time that well. “Spend 10 minutes on this worksheet” might feel like forever to them! We got a visual timer that helped tremendously.

* Don’t sweat screen time. Not all screen time is created equal. Educational apps (Prodigy, ABC Mouse) and TV shows (Magic School Bus, Storybots) were tremendously helpful for us in filling out the “school day” when we only had a few hours of structured distance learning time.

* Carve out a dedicated space for doing school work. It really helped our kids focus more and be in “school mode” when they did their work in the same place every day.

* Set up self-serve stations for snacks and activities. When the kids can be more independent it’s good for both their confidence and our sanity. Put cups, bowls, snacks etc in a place where they can reach them. Create a few activity stations or a “free choice” box with puzzles, activity books, crafting supplies and other things they can do on their own.

* Take some time the night before to prepare for the day. One of the bigger challenges for us was in coordinating the videos, Zoom calls, worksheets, etc. I made it part of my routine to print everything the night before and put it in order so we weren’t scrambling during the school day.

* Don’t be shy about asking the teacher for help. We got stuck in a rut where we felt like we had to solve every problem ourselves, but our teachers were actually happy to help. They will be busy, but if your child is really struggling, it’s okay to ask for an extra 1:1 call when they have time.

* Make time to get outside and move around during the day. It’s tough for kids to sit in front of a computer for hours. If you can take them outside for a little activity — even 15 minutes here and there — it works wonders for helping to calm them and restore their focus. If going outside isn’t an option, try GoNoodle videos or a fitness games like Just Dance or Ring Fit Adventure.

* Take a mental health day. Distance learning is hard on everyone. There is nothing wrong with taking a day off when you need to. Take a day of PTO and call the kids in “sick” and go fly a kite. Or sleep in. Or spend all day playing Nintendo. Check in with the kids (and yourself!) often — mental health is more important than getting every single worksheet done on time. Sometimes good enough is good enough.

Anne K. Halsall is the CPO & co-founder of Winnie.

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