The situation most parents find themselves in is challenging to say the least. We are trying to work from home while also home-schooling our children. It is a price we need to pay for the safety of our nation. In years to come, looking back we might not think ‘staying at home’ was such a huge ordeal but when in the midst of it, it can seem quite consuming.
There are tips and tricks to make things run a little more smoothly. Check out this list and see what you can apply to your daily life.
- Rise and shine. Start your day just as early as you would have before the Covid-19 situation hit us.
- Get dressed as though you were going to be leaving the house for work or socializing.
- Make a decent breakfast for yourself and the kids. Otherwise they will be complaining of “starving hunger” in an hour’s time when you’re trying to work.
- After breakfast, get the kids to help clean up. Teaching them household skills is essential for their upbringing (and lightens your workload).
- Before starting work and/or home-schooling, get up and move. Whether it’s a workout video on YouTube or playing in the garden, you’ll find it’s much easier for you and your children to focus after some exercise. If it’s dry outside, go and get some fresh air. It could be raining before you know it so take advantage.
- If you notice your children getting antsy or wild, it’s time for a break. You have to remember that they need to be stimulated. Drop the work for 15 minutes and let them play (either inside or out).
- It can be very easy to start losing your patience but that won’t do you or your kids any good. Walk away for a moment. Make yourself a cup of coffee and take a breather. You deserve a break as well.
- Let your kids video call family and friends. It will keep them distracted and take the focus off you for a moment.
- Remember, a well-rounded education isn’t just books and written assignments. Teach your children skills that will benefit them in the future. Using a screwdriver. How to fold clothes. Planting seeds. Changing a light bulb. How to check the fuses if electricity was to go out. If the kids are a little older, teach them basic car maintenance.
If at the end of the day you haven’t completed everything you planned, or the kids didn’t finish every single assignment, don’t beat yourself up. We are all struggling. You’re doing the best you can, be kind to yourself. If you struggled with a certain aspect in your day, figure out a different approach that works for you.
Just remember, you’re not in this alone.
