24/03/2020
To all the parents out there:
You might be inclined to create a minute by minute schedule for your kids. You have high hopes of hours of learning, including online activities, science experiments, and book reports. You’ll limit technology until everything is done! But here’s the thing...
Our kids are just as scared as we are right now. Our kids not only can hear everything that is going on around them, but they feel our constant tension and anxiety. They have never experienced anything like this before. Although the idea of being off of school for 4 weeks sounds awesome, they are probably picturing a fun time like summer break, not the reality of being trapped at home and not seeing their friends.
Over the coming weeks, you will see an increase in behaviour issues with your kids. Whether it’s anxiety, or anger, or protest that they can’t do things normally - it will happen. You’ll see more meltdowns, tantrums, and oppositional behavior in the coming weeks. This is normal and expected under these circumstances.
What kids need right now is to feel comforted and loved. To feel like it’s all going to be ok. Play outside. Bake cookies and paint pictures. Play board games and watch movies. Do a science experiment together or find virtual field trips of the zoo. Start a book and read together as a family. Snuggle under warm blankets and do nothing.
Don't worry about them regressing in school. Every single kid is in this boat and they all will be ok. Don't pick fights with your kids because the don't want to do math. Don't scream at your kids for not following the schedule.
If I can leave you with one thing, it’s this: at the end of all of this, your kids’ mental health is all important. How they felt during this time will stay with them long after the memory of what they did during those 4 weeks is long gone. So keep that in mind, every single day. Praise your child, talk to them, study with them. By keep the brain ticking over, along with keeping them smiling and excited.
Borrowed from the internet
