Why your child needs an "office," even if it's just a corner of the dining room table

We make space in our lives for things that are important to us.

Or at least we try to.

If exercise is important to us, we make sure to carve out time for it.

If spending time with loved ones is important to us, we make it happen.

We do the same thing with our space. That piano taking up a large chunk of your living room shows that music is important to you. Or your ever growing collection of children's toys points at the value you and your children place on play.

We communicate how much we value something by the amount of time or space we give it in our lives and our homes. By creating a designated space for at-home learning, you are showing your child that this is important work--so important that it deserves a space set aside just for it.

Having a designated work area also helps to create a distinction between at-home learning time and the rest of the day. When children attend school in person, there's a clear distinction between school hours and time at home. We don't have that luxury with children learning from home, and that's one reason why so many children struggle to focus more when learning from home than they did at school.

You can help reinforce that distinction by designating a work area where your child always does schoolwork. Eventually they will begin to associate that space with the behaviors that are expected of them during virtual learning. Just like sleep experts tell us to only use our beds for sleeping, we want our children to only use this space for schoolwork.

That doesn't mean that the space can't serve multiple purposes. Of course we don't all have the luxury of having an office or a separate room we can set up as our child's work area. The work area might be portable--something that is set up each day in the corner of the dining room table and then put away before meals--but the key is that it is consistent each day.

Where should my child's work area be located?

This really depends on your child's age, learning preferences, and temperament. Some children thrive in quiet and private work areas, but many children find that too isolating and prefer to work in close proximity to the rest of the family.

Experiment with different locations to see where your child is best able to focus. Involve them in this decision--it is an excellent opportunity for your child to begin to develop an idea of his or her learning preferences.

How to create a portable work area for your child:

1. Identify where at-home learning will happen. This location should stay consistent to create an association with the space and to keep all school materials centrally located.

2. Where will school materials be stored when not in use? If your child's work area serves multiple purposes (like the dining room or kitchen table), then you'll need a place to store schoolwork outside of school hours. Ideally, your storage area should include a charging station for any devices your child uses for virtual school.

3. Find a system that makes it easy to transport school supplies between the storage area and work area. Rolling carts are especially useful for this (like this one from Ikea or this one from Target). Supplies can then be kept organized on the different shelves of the cart within reach of the child's work area (see image below). Bins can also be used to move materials back and forth. Some families find it useful to have a separate small bin or magazine holder for each subject or class.

Tips and tricks for making it work:

• Use a desk mat. This can help define the work area from the rest of the dining room table. It also protects the surface from pencil scratches and provides a smooth surface for writing.

• Invest in noise-blocking headphones if your child is easily distracted by background noise.

• If your child is easily distracted by family activities around the work area, set up a trifold foam core board (the kind used for science fair presentations) around the work area to improve focus.

• If the chair is too large for your child, add cushions so that your child sits at an appropriate height with back support. A stool can be placed under her feet so her knees can bend at a right angle.