WHAT a year has 2020 been. Parents with children who are homeschooling are out on social media describing the challenges of the current set-up. But what can we do really? Education is important and all our schools and teachers are coping the best way they can. While it’s an advantage for some to spend more time with children, the cabin fever and the stresses associated with home schooling are challenging.
Our children are uprooted from their normal routines. They used to be able to go to malls on the weekends, play with their friends in school and be mischievous around their peers (well not all maybe some, haha!). Our kids are losing a year of social interaction and play. In previous years, we’ve seen the rise of screen time disrupting our children’s behavior, we can imagine it to be more problematic now given the constraints of leisure with the current set-up. How can we mitigate this?
Schedule playtime as a family
This does not have to be very vigorous. Even family games like Monopoly, Scrabble or chess could do a lot to connect to your children and take their gadgets away from their hands.
Don’t underestimate short breaks for movement
Both working and studying at home force us to sit in a spot for long durations. This set-up decreases our metabolism, concentration levels and even places us at risk for joint pain. Scheduled short breaks for stretching, exercise and drinking water can help.
Find creative ways to exercise
There are resources that can help us get children to exercise at home. Jasmineactive.com is a website dedicated to having children exercise at home during the pandemic. Physical activity in children can go a long way in keeping our children physically and mentally healthy during these times.
Set the example
As parents, we model the behavior for our children. When our children see us engaging in too much screen time, they will also think that is the normal behavior. When our children see us eating healthy and exercising during this time, they may be inspired and take up these habits, too.
Let’s make our homes a healthier place for our children. Stay safe, stay healthy.