Like many others their age, your children may be taking classes from home right now. The unprecedented situation facing many families of having to coordinate distance learning for their children has unfortunately led to a rise in school anxiety and sometimes needs for anti anxiety medication for children, particularly because very young children may not be used to trying to learn via screens all day long. However, there is a way to help your child complete their lessons successfully and healthfully while reducing their symptoms of school-related anxiety. You can set up a healthy space for them to do their learning in, helping to create a sense of security and stability while studying from home.

Focus on Reducing Distractions Throughout the Home

Some children report anxiety caused by parents and other surroundings when at home, so it’s important to reduce distractions throughout the home to allow kids to concentrate on schoolwork. Try to keep noise to a minimum during the school day, and avoid noisy chores or constant interruptions whenever possible.

Choose a Quiet Spot and Furnish It With Comfortable Objects

If you have several options of a study space within your house, a good rule of thumb is to select the quietest possible location to minimize distracting noise. Once you’ve chosen the space, furnish it with comfortable objects that will help keep kids from getting restless. However, don’t choose anything like a bed that could be too comfortable and turn into another distraction! Good options for this furniture include:

A padded chair

A supportive pillow to prevent back pain

A rug beneath the desk to be easier on the kids’ feet

Finally, it’s important to consider the lighting in the space as well. Make sure the space you choose is either naturally well-lit, as in spaces with access to large windows, or has adequate artificial lighting, whether from overhead lighting or from desk laps. After all, if your child has a hard time seeing, they won’t be able to focus well on any materials.

Make School Supplies Accessible

One distraction many kids face when learning from home is realizing they need a school-related item like a pencil, eraser or notebook, not having it on hand and needing to get up and leave the room to fetch it. This opens up room for getting distracted by something in another part of the house and having a hard time getting back into the groove. You can easily eliminate this particular distraction by making sure your child’s study space is well equipped with all the school supplies they need on a daily basis. That way, they can simply reach over and get the item they need, no fuss required!

Studying from home, especially in an unexpected context, can present a number of stressful challenges for young children that, if left unaddressed, could lead to poor academic performance and even school-related anxiety. As a parent, however, you can make several tweaks and help remove some of these obstacles. By following these set-up tips, you can dedicate a little corner of your home to your child’s schooling and help them feel safe, secure and able to succeed in their virtual assignments.