LIFE IN QUARANTINE

Living during such uncertain times can be especially difficult for children. We can’t give them a definite answer on when they will be returning to school, or when they will be able to have a play date. The best we can do is try to create some sort of structure to help ease their anxiety. I certainly do not have all of the answers. There have been plenty of days where nothing has worked to keep the peace, but I would love to share what has worked for my family over these past few weeks of us being quarantined. 

FAMILY MEETING

Once we learned that schools were closing, my husband and I held a family meeting. We explained to our daughters that while they would be attending school online, they would still be in communication with their teachers and friends, and would be expected to complete their assignments. We spoke about the changes to their daily routine, and allowed them to participate in creating their own schedule. This gave my daughters a sense of control, and ultimately helped ensure that they stayed on task. One thing that surprised me was how willing they were to accept this new reality. They didn’t question us. They just went along with this new norm.

DAILY SCHEDULE

To help ease our daughters’ anxiety during this time, we worked together with them to create a daily schedule. Once they adjusted to their new schedule, they were able to infer what was coming next which really helped them stay relaxed. Having this small bit of certainty during these confusing times helped immemsely.

We have two types of schedules in our home. We have a magnetic daily schedule, and a more detailed schedule that is type up. The magnetic schedule posted below shows what a typical weekend looks like in our home. When our daughters complete a task, they move the magnet over to the “done” side of the board. This helps keep them on track.

Our daily weekday schedule is very detailed. I write exactly which assignments need to be completed each day. This ensures that all assignments are turned in by the end of the day. Below is a sample without the added details.

• Get dressed & brush teeth and hair
• Breakfast 
• Homeschool
• Indoor/outdoor play 
• Homeschool
• Lunch
• Homeschool
• Indoor/ outdoor play
• FaceTime with friends 
• Family time
• Dinner
• Family walk
• Shower & brush teeth
• Reading
• Bed time

MENU

I don’t know about your children, but my daughters want to eat all day long. Figuring out what to feed them for breakfast, lunch, and snack was becoming a full time job. This encouraged me to create a menu. Each morning my daughters select what they would like to eat off of our menu, and that is what is prepared for them that day. Not constantly having to figure out what to feed them throughout the day has reduced my stress and allows my daughters to feel in control of what they are eating. Planning ahead of time allows me to prepare their snacks in the morning so they can just grab and go throughout the day. For us, dinner has never been an issue. They eat whatever is prepared. I decided not to include that on the menu.

I’M BORED JAR

Do your children constantly approach you because they have no idea how to occupy themselves? Mine do! They are always telling me they are bored. I was running out of ideas on how to entertain them. Finally, we created a list of all the activities they enjoy participating in. We wrote their ideas down on slips of paper and put them in a mason jar. This jar was a lifesaver! There was no longer a need for them to approach me for ideas. Here is a list of what we have in our jar.

1. Read a book
2. Research a place you would like to visit
3. Puzzle
4. Painting
5. Swingset
6. Trampoline
7. Call a friend
8. Barbies
9. Board game
10. Practice ventriloquy
11. Play with puppy
12. Baking
13. Pretend play
14. Piano
15. Clean your bedroom
16. Basement
17. Play dress up
18. Make an obstacle course
19. Crossword puzzle

There you have it! I hope you are able to use some of these ideas in your home. I would love to hear what you have been doing to get through this quarantine. I am always looking for ways to make our day run more smoothly.