It's that time of year again (already!?): Back to School season. Nothing about 2020 has been on a normal timeline and summer break is no exception. For Japanese public schools, it was an abbreviated one, shortened by several weeks. And for most students, it may have been indistinguishable from the spring when many schools closed due to Coronavirus and learning was done at home virtually.

 

But in late August many children throughout the country are expected to return to classrooms (even if only part-time), so it's time for parents to get ready! After-school activities, tutoring, homework help, drop-off and pick-up...there will be a lot of activity to build into your family's schedule. Couple that with ongoing uncertainty around the COVID situation in Japan, and Back to School prep this year might be a bit overwhelming!

 

Keep reading for insights and resources we hope will be helpful to your family as you gear up for the year ahead.

Of course, lots of learning will happen in the classroom, but it's always nice to supplement what your children are learning at home. There may also be a subject or two they need some extra help with.

 

In addition to using tutors, there are a lot of resources you can tap into for extra guidance. We put together round-ups of supplemental education resources, as well as tips for making the most of online lessons in the past. While they were especially helpful during the days of digital instruction, there's still a lot of valuable information for use in conjunction with "normal" schooling.

 

There will also be a lot of excitement around returning to the classroom (especially after such a long break for many students!) that makes the beginning of the school year a much easier time to get kids engaged in learning. But once the excitement fades (and it will...) we have some tips to encourage a lifelong enthusiasm for education.

Coordinating everyone's school and extracurricular schedules outside of the house may be preferable to trying to juggle WFH-duties and remote learning in your kitchen, but it can still be stressful! One of the easiest ways to clear a few tasks off your plate is to enlist help with some of "admin" duties. Hire a sitter for after-school pick-up and supervision so you don't need to rush home from work. Many CareFinder sitters are also great tutors so you can knock homework help off your list, as well!

 

To make it even easier for your family to get back into the swing of things this Back to School season, we're offering a 30 percent discount on your first month's subscription to CareFinder! Use the promo code BTS_30POFF at checkout to save and start working with our wonderful sitters today.