It's the middle of our 2nd week of incarceration, I mean quarantine. This is likely to go on for many more weeks and we need to be prepared. Covid-19 is no joke. Many people are getting sick, and old people (like me) are at higher risk. So, we stay inside, or venture out occasionally taking great caution not to be too close to others, and try to find ways to occupy ourselves during this unprecidented time of uncertainty.
If we, as adults, are wary, imagine what this is doing to our children! In case you didn't know it, young people are extremely observant and sensitive. They hear us talking in whispers, they see the tv news or things being posted on social media, they feel the tension that the unknown causes in the adults around them. This can manifest in many ways. Some children will become fearful of everything, no matter how unreasonable it seems. Some may become angrier. Many will become restless (as we are also becoming). We need to recognize the signs and talk to our children about it. Although our natural instinct is to want to shield our kids from the ugliness, the truth will usually find its way to them and it's much better that it comes from trusted adults than from the media. Let's be honest and have real conversations with our children. Let them know how we feel because they can already see it. Don't pressure them to be always cheerful - it's not natural anyway. Give them the opportunity to vent or express their fears and validate their feelings.
As far as learning goes, kids like structure, some even crave it. If you can organize space and time for them to do some learning each day, it will make them feel more in control. This doesn't have to be high-pressure and certainly should not be all day long, not even 9-3 kind of time. Children, and adults alike, cannot possibly "learn" for 6 hours straight! In a regular school day, there is lots of down time (though your kids might not see it that way). In homeschooling you only need 1-3 hours (depending on age) per day to get the job done. There should be play time and outside time, if possible. Put away the remotes, unplug and do fun, active things with your kids. Their minds AND their bodies need to be occupied. Most of all, we just need to be with the ones we love and pray for and end to this.
If we, as adults, are wary, imagine what this is doing to our children! In case you didn't know it, young people are extremely observant and sensitive. They hear us talking in whispers, they see the tv news or things being posted on social media, they feel the tension that the unknown causes in the adults around them. This can manifest in many ways. Some children will become fearful of everything, no matter how unreasonable it seems. Some may become angrier. Many will become restless (as we are also becoming). We need to recognize the signs and talk to our children about it. Although our natural instinct is to want to shield our kids from the ugliness, the truth will usually find its way to them and it's much better that it comes from trusted adults than from the media. Let's be honest and have real conversations with our children. Let them know how we feel because they can already see it. Don't pressure them to be always cheerful - it's not natural anyway. Give them the opportunity to vent or express their fears and validate their feelings.
As far as learning goes, kids like structure, some even crave it. If you can organize space and time for them to do some learning each day, it will make them feel more in control. This doesn't have to be high-pressure and certainly should not be all day long, not even 9-3 kind of time. Children, and adults alike, cannot possibly "learn" for 6 hours straight! In a regular school day, there is lots of down time (though your kids might not see it that way). In homeschooling you only need 1-3 hours (depending on age) per day to get the job done. There should be play time and outside time, if possible. Put away the remotes, unplug and do fun, active things with your kids. Their minds AND their bodies need to be occupied. Most of all, we just need to be with the ones we love and pray for and end to this.
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