What Parents Need to Know About Online Learning

Why Online Learning Needs to Be Addressed

Post-pandemic, screens will be even more ingrained in education than before. Parents want (and deserve) a clear picture of the effects of online learning on their kids’ academic performance.

How (and Why) Screen Time Affects Education

It’s a fact: screen time affects a kid’s brain development. Overexposure to screens can hinder knowledge retention, creativity, and even your kids’ grades. Since so much of this school year will be online, staying on top of screen time is crucial. Learn about the main areas to focus on when you’re considering the effects of screens during this school year.

Sleep

Your kids actually require more sleep than you do. Kids ages 3 to 5 need 10 to 13 hours; ages 6 to 13 need about 9 to 11 hours while teens need 8 to 10 hours. Adults should be getting at least 7, but many aren’t. And screens are often to blame.

The bright blue light on our screens can slow down our body’s ability to produce melatonin, the hormone that makes us sleepy and keeps us sleeping soundly.

“It takes an hour for the brain to calm down,” says Dr. Adiaha Spinks-Franklin, a developmental behavioral pediatrician at Texas Children’s Hospital and an associate professor at Baylor, in a recent New York Times article on the effects of screens on our brains before sleep.

According to recent studies, 70 percent of children check their mobile devices within 30 minutes of falling asleep at night. That will affect how well they sleep.

Limiting screen time at least an hour or more before bed using the Circle Bedtime feature will help your kids fall asleep faster, sleep soundly, and wake up rested the next day so they are better prepared for the school day.

Academic performance

Because the blue light from our screens can disrupt sleep patterns, the brain ends up missing out on deep REM sleep. That’s a problem because not getting that deep sleep affects the brain’s process of storing information learned during the day into memory.

Even if your kids are engaged with their classes during the day (online or off), without enough REM sleep, they may not be able to recall that juicy information the next day, which will ultimately affect their performance.

Distractions are also easy to succumb to on screens. Circle makes it easy to monitor your kids’ Internet history to make sure they are staying on task. If they’re not focused on school work during the day, you’ll know.

The brain

During the school day, it will be important to help your kids avoid jumping from school-related screen time to entertainment-related screen time. Their brains need downtime to develop.

Kids need a balance of online and offline experiences, including the space to let their minds wander offline. Sometimes, that means they’re bored. But boredom can be a good thing for brain development.

“Boredom is the space in which creativity and imagination happen,” says Dr. Michael Rich, the Director of the Center on Media and Child Health at Boston Children’s Hospital. He’s currently conducting a long-term study on the cognitive effects of screen time in children.

Constant screen time can overstimulate the brain, and kids can miss out on developing the creative and passive thinking skills. On the extreme end, kids can quickly become addicted to constant stimulation.

How to Manage Online Learning at Home

As a parent, school isn’t a new part of your daily routine. But, with many schools opting for some form of distance learning, you’re probably noticing the living room is turning into homeroom.

And one thing is for certain—most, if not all of these lessons, conversations with teachers, assignments, and socializing with friends require a screen these days. Here’s how you and your kids find a balance between all those screens.

Add offline activities

Studies show that there’s more you can do to help your kids sleep better at night than just limiting screen time during the day and before bed. Getting into a routine and staying active is a great place to start.

The isolation of learning at home can lead to less outdoor activities, less face-to-face interpersonal communications, and even less mood-enhancing sunlight. All of those things will affect how kids are behaving, sleeping, and learning, which we know impacts their school performance.

“When children sense their caregivers are engaged, addressing fears, and setting appropriate limits, sleep gets better,” says Dr. Judith Owens, contributor to a study on the topic in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. She went on to add that there are several simple things parents can do to help children regain balance in their day and rest better at night:

• Regular mealtimes Try getting your kids involved in the process of cooking meals and sitting down together for each one. There’s plenty to learn in the kitchen, including measurements, nutrition, and just basic responsibility.

• Natural light Vitamin D is a proven method to improve mood and a great way to boost the immune system. Make a plan to include at least one outdoor activity during the day, even if it involves lessons. What’s stopping you from doing math drills in the backyard?
  

• Exercise Exercise improves the ability to concentrate and has been linked to better academic scores and higher self-esteem in kids. Plus, it's a good habit to develop early. So, while your kids are doing school at home, find an activity they enjoy and add it into their daily routine. Why not walk and talk through the 50 states and their capitals rather than sitting inside on the couch?

Try blue light-blockers

Blue light-blocking glasses are a well-reviewed option for both kids and adults. Wearing them during the day may help your kids avoid some of the light rays that affect their sleep habits and help prevent eye exhaustion while on screens. It doesn’t cut down on screen time, but can help mitigate one of the negative aspects.

Find balance throughout the day

The best thing you can offer your kids right now is a balance between distance learning and screen time. Even though lessons may need to be mostly done at home, inside, at the computer, encourage your kids to reward themselves after they’ve worked hard with a quick game of hide-and-seek in the backyard or by listening to music. You can help remind your kids to take much-needed breaks by using Circle’s Focus Time Feature.

For instance, if their math and science lessons take about 2 hours in the morning, set a Focus Time from 11 a.m. until 12 p.m. When the Internet shuts off, everyone knows it’s time for a break. Have lunch together, and then give them the chance to choose their break activity.

Give yourself a break There is a lot of pressure between balancing your kids’ academics and your own responsibilities. You need a break too. Set aside a time during the day (or in the evening) to indulge in whatever it is that helps you get away from the day’s stimulation. And don’t forget, limiting screen time an hour before bed is just as good for your REM cycle as it is for your kids’.