The quarantine survival kit

To ease the stress on parents during the novel coronavirus epidemic, the Ministry of Education invited psychologists to offer advice.

During the troubled period, parents should be more considerate toward their children, who are anxious about the new situation, which may affect their learning efficiency, the experts said.

Parents should provide a more tolerant family environment and be supportive and encouraging. They should try to understand the precise difficulties their children face when studying online at home and help them deal with the challenge of active learning, they added.

Here are their five tips to improve family relationships during home education.

Movement

Don't always fix your brain or your body on the same places. Do some exercises to train your muscles and improve physical functions. Free the brain from all kinds of media. Unleash your child's inner vitality and power. Children need companions and must be allowed to vent emotions after staying at home for so long, especially as their parents are their only companions right now. Interaction within the home will stabilize children's feelings.

Laughing

Laughter among family members can promote positive emotions and help increase immunity via an optimistic mental attitude. Laughing makes people feel valued, respected and loved.

Many children hate studying at home because they feel they are being judged by their parents as they learn. Being happy brings children hope and further drives them to love learning.

Speaking

Both parents and children should express their feelings. Even a small quarrel will allow you to voice your expectations. Communicate in a polite way, such as writing thank-you notes. Understanding between parents and children, which is deepened by communication, can better solve problems.

Listening

Learn to ask before listening to other people's thoughts. Ask your children questions. For instance, what's the meaning of learning, and what's the best balance between play and study. Listen to their answers, even though you may not like them, because they are the child's real thoughts.

Respecting other people's views is the key to gaining trust and conveying kindness.

Thinking

Parents may be controlled by their child's actions every day, so view things from a different perspective. For example, if a child doesn't like doing homework, try to find something he or she does like, such as cooking. Encourage children to do things that build confidence and reduce conflict. The children will understand their parents' expectations and actively tackle their homework.