With schools and preschools closing all over the world because of the COVID-19 pandemic, parents and legal guardians everywhere realized they would have to get creative with managing their kids. But how can you do it and not go mad? We have got some tips for you:
Coronavirus: 15 Ways to Work from Home with Your Kids
Carry on like Everything is Normal
Kids and teens need stability in their lives, especially during these uncertain times. They look to adults to provide this reassurance. It is important to keep calm.
Follow a Regular Schedule
Model their day-to-day like a regular school timetable, making them study, do homework and provide breaks for household chores and recreational activities (like art, exercise, and reading).
Read, Read, Read
This helps to keep them engaged and also keeps them ready for school (whenever they reopen). You can keep them busy with various textbooks, ebooks, and audiobooks.
Bonding through Self-Care
Now would be a great time to spend time with your kids and teens by learning how to make scrubs, face masks, and other self-care items and just relax with them.
Spend Time with them
Your kids will want your attention, so make sure you give it to them. While it’s difficult to juggle both kids and work, make a schedule that works for you where you work for a few hours every day and still be available for your kids.
Talk to them
This is a very distressing time for your kids, so make sure you hear out their concerns and help them cope with what’s going on outside. You should start by asking them what they know and based on their answer, explain the situation in a non-alarming age-appropriate and honest manner.
Focus on Nutrition and Eating Well
Now is the time to go all out and get the kids involved in the kitchen. You can teach them the importance of eating well, healthy and how to make basic snacks for themselves as well.
Make Sure Your Kids Stay in Touch with their Friends and Family
Prioritize socialization because children have a tendency of feeling isolated, and since going out is not an option, video calls help!
Exercise and Stay Active!
Try and get your kids involved in your daily motions. If you usually do a morning work out; let them do it with you and try finding new methods of relaxation such as breathing, mindfulness or meditation. As well as being great ways of calming the mind and relieving stress, they are all activities children and teens can get involved in too.
Make Sure they’re Resting
No matter how old your child is, naptime can be essential to wasting time and also getting the energy to stay active. This quiet time will allow you to get some peace and also finish off some work.
Take Care of Yourself too
While work and kids might be important, you can not manage both unless you also take care of yourself.
Set Boundaries
Just because your kids are on an indefinite vacation doesn’t mean they cannot follow a strict schedule. Set your foot down on mealtimes and bedtimes, times for exercise, study, and play.
Have non-verbal Cues
While you’re working from home, you’ll still need to take calls with various people (and sometimes kids don’t understand you’re busy). Make them understand that you’re working without needing to constantly remind them and also without disturbing others on the call (for eg. wear a funny hat as a non-verbal cue to your kids to not disturb you).
Make them help around the House
Another way to manage kids is to make them help do chores (such as arrange the living room or reorganize their desks).
DIY to Evade Boredom
Keeping the hands busy and also doing fun stuff is important. Crafty DIYs with wrapping paper, boxes and paint will do the trick.
Sources
https://time.com/5803373/coronavirus-kids-at-home-activities/
https://people.com/parents/working-from-home-with-kids-during-coronavirus-advice-tips/
https://www.parents.com/parenting/work/life-balance/how-to-master-being-a-work-at-home-mom/
