Well, it’s June. Most schools have finished with homeschooling and online schooling as well. Both were a strain on families and on teachers. Many parents do not feel qualified to teach their children in subjects that seem to be the wheelhouse of teachers and teachers were limited by the confines of online teaching. The result is that many children will be behind in their knowledge of required subject matter. Some schools may be planning to reopen come fall, but the question is, will the second wave of this pandemic be making its reappearance around or shortly after that?
Those schools who have spent the time and resources putting teachers and students into online classes are ahead of the game. But for those of you who had to homeschool your children–how are/were you doing that? I am so glad that my children are grown! I taught CCD classes when they were younger as a demonstration to them of the importance that knowledge of our faith was in my life and hopefully, would be in theirs as well. Every Sunday, the three of us would trek to church, and separate to go to our individual class rooms. That was tough, teaching children, and it was only one day a week. So I have the greatest admiration for those of you who were doing this several hours and days a week. Yikes! To you, I ask, “Are you ok? Was it getting any easier? What do you think lies ahead come fall?”
But in the meantime, our children also need some down time. While it is summer now, they too, will still continue to feel the stress and uncertainty of these times which can make them a little cranky. Why not, many adults I know are not dealing with the current situation either. You as parents want to try to keep yourself on an even keel, not only for yourselves, but also for your children. It is not always so easy. Finding activities to do with them or that they can do themselves will help to center them. And in the back of your mind, there are your concerns about daycare, or your own work-related needs. You have to figure out what your finances are going to look like going forward. None of us can function well if life becomes nothing more than drudgery and worry, so you will have to find entertainment that works for all of you. But it is your children who may especially need to find the fun in the midst of the uncertainty we are all experiencing. Plus, they have a ton of energy to burn off, which may be easier now. However, you will need to find activity that is specific to them. Want some help with that?
For your younger children, why not make a maze using painter’s tape that they can use in playing with their cars and trucks. Chalk is having a moment (or several) right now. They can be used to play hopscotch, or simply to draw oversized pictures on your driveway. Children in our neighborhood used their chalk on everyone’s driveway to remind us all about social distancing, wearing a mask, and staying well. My bet is someone’s mom needed a break!
How about making your own playdough or slime? You can find recipes online, and usually ingredients are something you probably have on hand.
Your small ones will be entertained by using flashlights to “draw” on a wall or maybe a garage door after dark. That becomes a game when they ask their companions to guess what they drew with those movements of light?
If you find your child needs some practice with their writing skills, perhaps they would like to be pen pals with grandparents or friends or mail their hand-drawn pictures to them. Parents can also access “Legends of Learning” to access curriculum-based educational math and science classrooms for free. These are geared to third to eighth graders and intended to make learning fun. PBS and Sesame Street also have several activities available online.
There are even more virtual experiences to be found online. Let your children watch the Lunch Doodles series which can be found at https://www.kennedy-center.org/mowillems at 1 PM Eastern each weekday. You can also find zoo and aquarium web cams online, take virtual museum tours, concerts and more online.
With a whiteboard or a pad of paper, ask your child to teach you a lesson. This is a great way for them to practice the skills they have acquired, and will help them to hold on to their knowledge. Plus, what child can resist modeling their favorite teacher?
This time of year is great for getting them interested in gardening. Using paper cups and seeds, let them start plants which can reside someplace sunny. Once the plants have gotten large enough, they can plant their own vegetable or flower garden. The advantage to a vegetable garden is that they can learn about new veggies which they will probably like since they grew the foods themselves. How smart is that?
Many children (and adults) like puzzles and board games. Some games like Scrabble and Monopoly can now be played online. You can find a puzzle app on the App Store that enables both children and their parents to put together their puzzles online. There are versions for both children and adults. They make it look so easy! Plus you don’t have to invest in several puzzles to keep them occupied.
Younger children love to be read to. It is a skill set that can help them to retain knowledge. So with that in mind, have your children read to each other or to you depending on their skill level. Or let them go to Storyline Online’s YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/user/StorylineOnline/featured) where they will find celebrities reading books. Consider building a fort with them to use not only for play but as a comfy space to read. At this moment, I am imagining being inside the tent in the movie, The Holiday. I wonder if George Clooney is available to read an online story?
If they need to burn off some energy, check out Debbie Allen’s Instagram dance classes. One of those is geared specifically to small children in self-quarantine. At 10:00AM ET Facebook Live is where you will find Laurie Berkner on her program “Live Berkner Breaks” so your young ones can sing along. You can download a chords and lyrics sheet from her Facebook page for your budding musician.
This may be a good time for your older children to begin journaling. If you journal yourself you are already aware of how this form of mindfulness can make you feel better about the events around you. Journaling can do the same thing for your children, helping them to deal with their feelings during this period and could be a keepsake to remember this historic, if difficult, period of time. Also, as an adjunct to journaling, check in with your older children to see how they are feeling about what they are experiencing. They may have a lot to say, so listen carefully. What teen likes to be stuck at home? This may be hardest on them, since they are usually more socially active and have a wider circle of friends than do younger children.
And for all of you? Remember those squirt guns and water balloons? What a super way to cool off, both physically and emotionally now the heat of summer has hit. It brings out the child in all of us and usually ends in laughter.
No matter what your children’s age, they always like to hear stories from your childhood. Now is the time to share a part of yourself that they know nothing about. It can be hilarious, rolling on the floor funny, or it can be the saddest time of your childhood that you share. It helps them to understand you a little better and they get to see who their parents are as people. What you share does not need to have a moral, or be a teachable moment. It needs only to reveal something real about you as a person, rather than a parent. Seeing their parents in a new light will only add to the depth of your relationship.
Speaking personally, I have begun sharing more of my stories with my daughters. In part, it is an acknowledgment that I may not have much time left to share what I would like them to know about me as a multidimensional person, not simply as their mother. What they will discover is how I tried to handle the good and bad and how I have tried to make this journey by being the best person I can be. Like you, I’ve discovered being my best is not always possible, it is a work in progress. Sharing your life’s story can reveal that one never stops acquiring knowledge of any kind, and that we should never stop growing. Your children will remember the stories you share with them, it will help them to understand your point of view. What you will teach them is how to meet other people where they are on their life’s journey. They will get to know you almost as well as you know them. At some point, they will find that you make an extraordinary friend as well as a parent. You will discover that your child is more amazing than even you believed. In this time of turmoil, this sharing can make the world seem not so scary. You will have discovered something that is more precious than gold, despite what is going on outside your door.
I revealed more than I wanted here, but my wish for you is to take away more than “today just sucks”. You are stronger than you ever knew you could be. Your children will appreciate your efforts at some point, even if they don’t now. The Covid-19 story is not over and is not kind to any of us. But we can help our children as well as ourselves to come out stronger on the other side. But in the meantime, what have you discovered that your child really likes to do during this down time? Have you discovered activities that you can all share? Does he or she have a talent you never suspected? What do your children all like to do together? How are you each handling the process of learning at home? What insights have you picked up about your family and yourself? What will you treasure most about this time when it is over? That is a lot of questions, but this has been a time of reflection. We will surprise ourselves with our growth emotionally and mentally on the other side of this. Be kind to yourself, after all no one can be perfect all the time. We’d love to hear from you. You probably have learned things we never thought of. Maybe you just want to share a funny or poignant moment you’ve experienced recently. We’d love to hear about it. Seriously, we would like to hear from you. In the meantime, relax and enjoy the simple things.
If you like this and are looking for some ideas for activities for the adults, check this out!
