Creating a remote schooling with a dedicated, e-learning space for your children

As the 2020-21 academic year approached in late summer, many parents had mixed feelings about reopening schools amid the pandemic. Children’s reactions varied as well, causing the usual back-to-school excitement to look and feel a lot different.

However, it was inevitable that many students would be learning remotely this fall and possibly well into the spring quarter. In preparation for remote learning, the next best move was to turn homes into temporary learning environments — a huge challenge that most parents are still trying to navigate.

Why should we create a space for virtual learning?

Creating a dedicated, e-learning space is incredibly beneficial to making your child’s educational experience as (somewhat) normal as possible. A remote educational space can help kids focus during school hours and differentiate learning from playtime. Examples of structuring e-learning spaces are everywhere, many from parents making the most of these unprecedented times. According to the Washington Post, “Parents can pick up the ABCs of good home ‘school’ spaces from teachers as well as other education specialists, remodeling contractors and designers, home-schooling websites and other parents who share lessons learned.”

Organization, consistency and a sense of normalcy are just a few of the reasons why experts advise children having a specific space to spend their school day. The space can includea seat for lunch, a spot to hang up their sweaters and even a small new bathroom near their desks and work spaces for use during school hours.

A small bathroom can make a big difference

A new bathroom addition may sound costly and labor-intensive, but it doesn’t have to be. If you want to add a bathroom or a kitchen sink to a space where no below-floor drainag ecurrently exists, above-floor plumbing systems offer an attractive alternative to conventional plumbing, saving both time and expense.

One of the biggest, costliest challenges of traditional plumbing systems involves cutting through concrete floors to install drainage in the e-learning space of your choosing. Above-floor plumbing products avoid such costly modifications and the mess they create, providing a simple solution for adding a half-bath wherever it is most needed. A homeschool environment can be created in a converted garage, an attic or an unfinished basement; under stairs or inside a closet — spaces where incorporating running water and fixture drainage would normally be difficult.

• Macerating toilet systems (sometimes called up-flush plumbing), such as Saniflo’s Saniaccess 2 or the Sanicompact, will allow you to create a small bathroom with a sink as well as the water closet.
• If all you need is a functioning sink for hand-washing, cleaning school materials or mopping up spills, above-floor drain pumps, like the Saniflo Sanivite or the Saniswift, are a perfect fit.

Sanicompact

The common denominator with all of these solutions is their ability to avoid the costly obstacles of traditional plumbing. Their quick and easy installation saves time and money, while sparing your household all the dirt and hassle of tearing up floors. (Who among us needs even more disruption in our daily lives right now?) To learn more about above-floor plumbing and its applications, visit www.saniflo.com.

You will likely want to be keeping an organized, daily schedule for your young students, one that includes bathroom breaks. Having this new space close to their work stations can make it easier to stick to that routine, be less stressful on your own hard-working schedule, and give your child a sense of independence. This is especially helpful if you and other families are participating in a “learning pod” where multiple classmates can learn alongside each other in your home.

The Key: Adapt to the Moment

The foreseeable future remains a huge question mark because of the pandemic, as we have seen all too often over the past six months. “The key is creating spaces that can adapt to the needs of the moment,” according to Architectural Digest. Preparing for your child’s current, and possibly extensive, e-learning

experience by having a dedicated schooling space, including a conveniently located bathroom, will help these difficult days run just a little more smoothly.

Questions about adding a bathroom to your home classroom? Email [email protected] with details on your installation to find out which products would work best for your e-learning space.

For more information about the product line, including new-product launches, contact Saniflo at 1-800-571-8191. Or visit the Saniflo website at www.saniflo.com.

For editorial assistance, including press information and photography, contact John O’Reilly c/o GreenHouse Digital + PR: 815-469-9100 or [email protected]

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