Avoid mom guilt with these 10 tips for surviving and thriving schooling the kids from home during this virus crisis.
How long will the kids be home from school during this virus crisis is anyone’s guess right now. You’ve been thrown into a homeschooling situation that you never wanted and feel that you’re not equipped to handle. Your sanity is at stake, what do you do?
There is a difference between choosing a homeschooling life, like I did ten years ago, and having it dumped in your lap by necessity.
While I have adapted to the craziness that comes from having my kids under foot all day and night – as well as working from home in this same challenging environment, my heart goes out to those of you who didn’t choose this.
I imagine many of you are struggling to manage not only having your kids under foot all day, when you’re use to them being at school, but also trying to keep up with managing their education from home.
And if you work from home too, whew! – I get ya. It can be near impossible.
Who Am I and What Do I Know?
Before I had my own children in my thirties I had already had many years of experience living with and working with kids of just about all ages beginning with being the oldest of nine and helping take care of my siblings.
Years later I taught preschool, worked in daycare, lived as a dorm-mom to teenagers, subbed in big city public schools and served in different children’s ministries. My bachelors degree is in psychology and educational ministry.
Today I’m sharing my 10 tips for how to survive and thrive schooling the kids from home while saving your sanity. Several of these tips will even help you avoid mom or dad guilt.
I’m sure there are more positive things I could share but these are the 10 that I shared with my Facebook and Instagram community already and now I want to share them with you! –> Click those links to follow me on social media after you read this post.
10 Tips to Survive Schooling from Home
and Avoid Mom – Dad Guilt
Tip 1: Young children have short attention spans so try to break up their work into 15 minute increments.
Tip 2: Allow plenty of time to play and above all – be flexible and patient with your children.
Tip 3: Remember you are your child’s FIRST teacher. Take advantage of this extra time with your kids to practice and teach them to be considerate of others, to use good manners and to develop good character.
Tip 4: Don’t practice being consumed with worry and fear or your children may become consumed with anxiety and fear also.
Tip 5: Establish a NEW routine so you and the children know what to expect NEXT in your day.
Tip 6: Pick your battles wisely! Some are just not worth losing the peace in your home over.
Tip 7: Remember this, your children are both a gift and a responsibility. Make the most of this time to build loving, fun memories of your time together. You can do this!
Tip 8: Give yourself and the kids a break from each other by scheduling an hour of downtime in the morning and/ or afternoon as appropriate. Consider sending the kids to their rooms to read or play quietly so you get a break.
Tip 9: Have the kids make cards and draw pictures for nursing home residents who cannot have visitors now. I was informed of one nursing home that was going to quarantine the mail for 24 hours before handing out.
You could make a card or picture for each resident, stick in individual envelopes (DO NOT lick the envelope seal) and then put all the cards and pictures into one big manilla envelope to mail or drop off.
Tip 10: Spend time outside! Fresh air and exercise are very important for our physical and mental health! Many of us are deficient in Vitamin D which our body makes from sun exposure.
Check out 30+ Ways to Enjoy Life when you Have to Stay Home.
I hope you found these ten tips for how to survive having the kids home all day with you during this virus crisis helpful.
Do you have any great tips to share with us? Tell us in the comments below!
Remember, you are not alone. These challenging times are happening to countless families in one way or another around the world.
For more encouragement you may enjoy reading some of my Facebook friends favorite verses (I call them Anchor Verses) that help them stay grounded in their faith or to get through hard times. You’ll find those two posts here: 13 Great Anchor Verses and 12 MORE Great Anchor Verses.
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