Hard for Everyone
We are all adjusting to this pandemic with all the regulations and restrictions in place. We are worried about our elderly family and friends, many of them shut up alone separated from their loved ones. It may seem that homeschoolers were prepared for such an event as this, but the reality is that homeschoolers participate in many types of activities and field trips and classes. Many of them have been cancelled or adjusted. I watched a young class at a rock climbing studio practicing hula hoops with masks. For some of us, it’s just not worth it. We’d rather wait to do such activities with our faces free to breathe.
So it’s not just difficult for the parents of public school children who have a wide range of expectations and assignments and keeping track of which days are off and which days are on.
Silver Linings
It is our natural inclination to dwell on all the things we miss doing. Personally, I am really missing traveling. But when we have ourselves and our children’s well being to think of especially as it seems extra scary to the kids, we have to work to stay positive and to focus on the positive. And there are many silver linings! Challenges and hardships make us grow and be better people. And that’s really kind of the point of eduction anyway.
Here are some things that will help you stay positive while so many things are uncertain and can change at any time!
1- Be grateful
Make a list of things you are grateful each morning and try to think of at least one thing you are grateful for when you wake up! It can be your soft bed and your warm blanket, your house, your car, things that we may take for granted, but really, when we think about it, we have a lot going for us!
2-Have a Schedule
Make sure you have a daily and weekly schedule. It doesn’t have to be strict and it’s fine if you change it, but it’s good for everyone to know what is expected and when. Kids do much better with routines. Do what works for you, everyone is different in this regard. But during a pandemic, days can feel like they are running together- know that read aloud time is every morning after breakfast is helpful!
3- Plan a Class
Just because we may not be able to meet in person especially once it gets really cold, does not mean we can’t meet at all. Zoom is an incredible tool- find some other homeschoolers to do a book club with. Everyone benefits- we are more likely to read the book, we discuss it with our friends which gives us some social interaction, and we get some feedback on our book summary! We have been meeting weekly with some of our cousins and it has been really good for lots of reasons! There are also online classes and if you have homeschool friends nearby, plan an activity or class to do together.
4- Get out of the House
Make sure that you are going places regularly. I like to plan a field trip, hike or park day one day a week. It’s more fun with friends. We’ve also instituted outside time everyday- it’s easy to forget to go outside, and the weather right now for us is great! We need to take advantage of it for sure!!
5- Exercise
Exercising is good for your mental and physical health. It clears your mind, relaxes you and helps you in more ways than you realize. It may seem like there isn’t enough time in the day, but exercise increases your energy which actually helps you be more productive!
6- Nutrition
Eat healthy and make sure you are drinking enough water, not just so that you avoid illnesses, but also so that you can be on your A game. Homeschooling takes a lot of mental toughness, patience and endurance. You need to be healthy and strong!
