Now that the kids will be home at least for 6 weeks, I woke up needing to take control in some way of this new strange world we’re in. The teacher in me is in full gear and I want to share my thoughts, and I hope it’ll help you too. There is so much we can’t control with this global pandemic, but here are some things you can control to make the best of this.

Often during breaks we just let the kids go rogue, the mornings are much calmer than a rushed school day but then (especially if we don’t have a fun outing planned), a day home becomes a negotiation of how to keep them from watching t.v. until we cave. For this hiatus from school, I want to be sure to take advantage of our time together, avoid a backwards slide in all the hard work my kids’ teachers have done, and try to stay sane. Here are 8 tips that will help us along the way:

1. Make a schedule

Making a schedule will help the whole family clarify their expectations of the day. Build in times for the kids to do some learning, some moving, for them to work independently, and for them to get attention from you. Consider everyone’s needs including yourself so that your daily schedule has time for you to work, exercise, and do your typical (or close to it) daily life. At the beginning of the day have a morning meeting just like they do in kindergarten and talk about your day including when and who will be the adult that is present.

The kids helped me make our schedule and I’m going to refer to it if any of us are feeling restless or frustrated so we at least have a game plan of what we can and should do. I included a time for art/science/projects where if I get motivated we can come up with something special like painting or putting dye in celery water but I’m aiming to keep things pretty easy.

2. Enjoy Nature

Most of our outings are not available with the recommendation for social distancing (staying 6 feet away from others) but nature is there for us. When this global pandemic is overwhelming, go or look outside at our earth and sky. How ironic that it feels like things are all collapsing but then the birds are singing and the sun is shining. Mary Oliver’s Wild Geese has been on repeat in my head this week. Although us humans are having a rough go, our ecosystem hasn’t shifted due to this and it’s a great opportunity to reconnect. So, take advantage of your yard, your neighborhood, the park, local beaches, hikes, etc. You could also make it a learning or creative opportunity by studying nature, making collections, creating art with what’s growing around us.

3. Write to Process this Mess

My brain feels like goop may continue to spin while we try to make sense of all this. One way to help all of us is to write. The act of pen to paper is a powerful way to process your thoughts to help you feel more grounded. If you’re a person who journals or writes often this may come naturally to you but if not here’s what I recommend. Get a journal for everyone in your family. Yes, I even got one for my 3 year old and my husband. Set a timer (just 5 or 10 minutes to start) and just let your pen go without judgment - you don’t have to share it with anyone. The hope is your kids will follow your lead or at least leave you alone so you can write. Here are some honest and hopeful prompts to get you started: What does it feel like to be home? What does your home mean to you? How are the kids doing? Are you worried? Where have you seen helpers? What do you hope one month from now will look like?

4. Read Read Read

The number one way to help your child avoid a backwards slide from this time from their classroom is to read. Read in front of them, read with them, have them read to you, read read read. I think the libraries are still open, but you likely have a good bit of books at home already. Regardless, read what you have available and reread it too. Kids often read the same books over and over because the familiarity feels comforting. You could read a novel to them, yes even the little ones will enjoy curling up and listening to your voice even if they don’t comprehend it. You could fold up some papers and write a book with the kids to read- my daughter still wants me to reread this super basic “book” I wrote about when a tow truck parked in front of our house.

5. Focus on Number Fluency

At first I was planning to look of the common core math standards and go from there to plan some math activities. But really, I think the best way to help our kids, especially kids in elementary and preschool, is to practice number fluency. This is the skill of being able to understand amounts and how they interact with each other. And good news, this makes it easier on us...basically find ways for the kids to count stuff. Now don’t get overwhelmed with the fancy photos when you look on pinterest or google, but there are tons of ideas out there. Also, playing games is a great way to practice math. I think goodwill is still open and those shelves of games are always packed full. Also, this card set from Math For Love is filled with options and I highly recommend it!

7. Connect with Friends and Family

All those little interactions in your normal day add up to quite the in-person social experience that will really be shifted during this time. So put an effort towards real life connections and check in with your people. I already have a scheduled facetime date for my daughter to “hang out” and do perler beads with her friend whose grandma is living with them until it’s safe to go back to her nursing home. I also plan on getting together with friends and getting some playdate action on the calendar (for the kids, but also so I have someone to talk to).

8. Reach Out to Your Community

Although being home with the kids for this time is a gift it is also going to be challenging. But, I’m well aware of what a privilege it is to be able to stay home with my children without much change to our family’s financial situation. This school closure and virus is having a great impact on our community. I haven’t wrapped my head around how to best help, but I plan to open my doors to kids whose parents need to work and plan to support our local small businesses who may be struggling. If you have recommendations on how to best connect and help our community, please share them with me and your friends. One resource I know is the Hunger Intervention Program who provides food bags for my school community.

And finally...

Let’s all have grace for ourselves. I’m sure there are 700 other things I should put on this list, but it’s something. This is hard, stressful and something we could not prepare for and can’t predict the outcome. While caring for our bodies and our minds, have grace for yourself, pour a glass of wine and watch a rom-com from the 90s. When it feels hard, let’s honor that pain, but then let’s also shift our mindset to coming out of this stronger, wiser, and more connected as humans.

Sent to you with love and hope,

Anela

Covid-19 School Closure: 8 Ways to Make the Best of This for Our Kids