Last month, Gov. Newsom announced a pandemic plan to start the school year with distance-learning for all counties on California’s monitoring list. Since Sacramento, Yolo and Placer counties are currently on the watch-list, many parents will be juggling their work schedules, homeschooling and extracurricular activities during the fall semester, with little to no guidance on how to balance it all. Fortunately, our team asked around and found four great tips to ace the school year while distance-learning.

*This article was written July 19, 2020. Please continue to check the state’s monitoring list for updates.

1. Create Structure & Routine

Let’s face it—with distance learning, access to smartphones, tablets and television, our kids are in front of a screen for more hours in a day than we know is healthy. Experts from the Children and Screens Institute for Digital Media & Child Development suggest using actual textbooks, print materials, hardcopy books and handwriting as a way to offset the amount of online learning your children will be doing this year.

“Overuse of screen time can have adverse impacts on young brains, so it’s essential in these special circumstances to be extra careful when it comes to the littlest ones,” the institute says. Studies show that remote education can be challenging for all ages, but especially young kids, so do whatever you can and always err on the side of caution.

Try stimulating self-expression by having discussions with your children about what they are doing, as well as encouraging creative writing and imaginative storytelling. Of course, it is difficult to manage and monitor screen time during all times of the day, so we suggest purchasing blue light blocking eyewear to protect your children’s eyes from strain and harmful light exposure.

3. Consider Hiring a Family Assistant

If you’re new to the work-from-home lifestyle and find that you’re having a bit of a hard time keeping up with work, kids, homeschooling and everything in between, a “family assistant” could be the savior you’re looking for. An FA is a hybrid of a personal assistant and a nanny all wrapped into one, serving the needs of both parents and children. A skilled family assistant will be able to provide childcare, run errands, prepare meals, do light housekeeping and even check emails, order supplies or organize files.

Make sure that your children take plenty of breaks in order to get physical activity and time away from screens. Set alarms similar to those they would encounter at school and encourage them to get up, get some fresh air, go for a walk or bike ride, or have a snack so that they are not sedentary for the entire day.

You can make this fun by planning different physical activities on different days of the week, or do themed weeks like soccer week, basketball week, volleyball week, etc. when your family focuses on learning and playing a specific sport throughout the week.

If You Live in El Dorado County… Here Are Some Tips for In-Person Learning

As of July 19, 2020, El Dorado County is the only county in the area that is not on the state’s monitoring list and schools in this county’s districts are expected to open. There is a full list of precautions and tips on going back to school in person given by Gov. Newsom, but here are some other things to remember:

1. Pack water bottles for each child to discourage drinking from school water fountains
2. Prepare lunches for each child, if possible, instead of opting for cafeteria-prepared food
3. Make sure you have all the supplies your children need in their backpacks and pencil cases such as crayons, pens, pencils, staplers, erasers, scissors, etc. so that they don’t have to share with other students or use classroom supplies
4. Your children should have their own hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes to use while at school
5. Since masks are required for most students grades three and up, be sure to have a stock of masks or face shields for your kids to use throughout the week
6. Continue to remind your children to wash their hands regularly and keep their hands away from their face, eyes and mouths



We know that these uncertain times can be stressful and hope that these tips help. What are some other ideas you have for kicking off the school year on a good foot? Comment below!