UAE: What hybrid classes and remote learning taught me about my child

UAE: What hybrid classes and remote learning taught me about my child

Dubai: It made my life hectic, but thanks to hybrid learning, for the first time in eight years, the past year gave me more time with my child. When schools closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, many questions came to mind - How would I help my child study while handling work? How will he develop social skills without meeting his classmates and teachers? How will I explain subjects that confuse me (read 'math')? And, how will I leave him with un-checked access to the Internet when I return to work? The first few months were a disaster, even though I was working from home. Work left me little time to ensure assignments were being done during school hours. But, slowly, we found a pattern that worked for us - two hours before office and two hours after were dedicated to schoolwork. It greatly helped that my child's teachers were understanding of my situation and allowed him to send in assignments by night. Yes, he barely studied by himself and is more interested in Minecraft gameplay videos like any modern-day internet-using eight-year-old. And, on countless occasions, I have found him asleep next to his tablet while the