Should parents try to replicate school at home? Wake County principal offers tips amid COVID-19

CARY, N.C. (WTVD) -- With Gov. Roy Cooper ordering the closure of schools for the rest of the school year due to COVID-19, parents are dealing with the new normal of schooling their children at home.

ABC11 spoke with Hortons Creek Elementary School principal Dr. Sandy Chambers with your questions.

When asked what advice she has for parents who have turned into teachers amid COVID-19, Dr. Chambers said to focus on choice.

"Making sure that you are giving your child choice at home but also that flexibility and grace," Chambers said. "We don't want to stress anyone out. We want everyone to relax and take their time and approach this what that mindset of flexibility."

Have a question about coronavirus? Send it to us here.

Should we try to replicate school?

"Yes and no, yes meaning that at school, we give students choice but no meaning that it can't be as structured as our school day," said Chambers. "I would recommend for parents to try to establish a routine but the kids have choice and possibly when they're learning, where they're learning...also a choice of 'when can I take a break? When can I chew gum? When can I listen to music?' We want kids to have choice in all of this. So they will be engaged the entire time."

How do parents working from home juggle balance of work and teaching their children?

"It's a task we all are facing. I have two children, I have my own at home. You have to set those boundaries. You want to say, 'well, this is work time, I'm going to take a break and I'm going to check on my children and then I'm going to take another break or I'm going to help my children work through these things.' It's about creating that schedule so that kids know what their day will look like and parents know what their day will look like as well."