Parenting during a pandemic
When I was pregnant with our first child, I read various parenting books, like many other first-time parents. However, there was no parenting book for “How to Parent Your Children During a Pandemic.” These are uncharted waters. As schools across America shut down due to the COVID-19 virus, many parents found themselves unexpectedly left to homeschool their children while simultaneously working from home. I am a stay-at-home mom, so I’m used to being home with my kids on a regular basis, but being quarantined at home with nowhere to go is hard for me! Here are some ideas that will hopefully help as you are at home with your kids.
Schedules and routines
Children thrive on schedules and routines. Those who are used to a specific routine often “fall apart” when their routine is interrupted, so we must try to keep their schedules and routines as close as possible to what they are used to. Keeping bedtimes, wake times, mealtimes and naptimes the same will help your child and give your day a schedule to follow. My oldest goes to school all day and my middle child is in a half-day program. Their teachers have been amazing with providing online resources and printable worksheets just like the ones they are used to at school. Using these familiar teaching tools has really helped my children have a feeling of normalcy. It will help your child and yourself to (loosely) follow the school routine they are used to.
Keep them busy
My kids love to go from activity to activity to activity. It is helpful to have some things prepared beforehand for when they are ready to move onto a new activity, especially since most young children have a short attention span. Playdoh, puzzles, coloring and magnatiles are all fun things to keep a toddler busy at the table while parents try to work from home.
I am so glad we have the internet while we are quarantined at home. Pinterest has so many awesome ideas you can try. A quick Google search should help you find virtual tours of museums, zoos and even Disney World! You can find free printable coloring sheets with your child’s favorite characters (a favorite activity of my 3-year-old.) There are also many educational websites with learning games that kids love.
Another idea if your children are social like mine and missing their friends is to have a virtual playdate! Both my 5-year-old and my 3-year-old have had FaceTime playdates with their friends from church and school. They get so excited to “see” and talk to their friends. Also, don’t forget to reach out to other family members like grandparents and aunts/uncles. Technology can help us stay connected with family even if we can’t be with them right now.
Stay active
It’s easy to feel depressed if you are stuck inside your house all day every day, and kids need to get their energy out too! So get outside for your mental health. Here in Massachusetts, they have closed most of the playgrounds because of the virus. So while that might not be an option, you can still go for family walks. We try to take a walk every sunny day.
We also like to play with chalk in the driveway, ride bikes, blow bubbles and do an outdoor scavenger hunt. If the weather isn't nice enough to go outside, there are many active things you can do inside like kids yoga (we like Cosmic Kids Yoga on YouTube), virtual dance lessons, hide and seek, or just turning the music up and having a family dance party!
Be present
My kids are all 5 and under, so they don’t know too much about what’s going on right now in our world. They know that there are a lot of sick people right now, and that’s why we have to stay home. My son prays every night before bed for “the sickness to go away so we can go to the mall, Chick-Fil-A and Dunkin Donuts.”
They are eager to be able to get out and go places again like we usually do, (and so am I!) but as a parent you have to keep a positive attitude about this situation. Kids feed off of their parents’ energy and attitudes.
I keep reminding myself that this time during these weeks that we will spend together at home is very special for us as a family. Our kids are growing up, and our lives are so busy as it is. This virus has forced us to stop and spend time together without many distractions. Take this time to read the Bible together and implement a family devotion/worship time. Pray for extra patience and grace, lean into God and drink all the coffee! We are all in this together.
Katie Loveday is a church planting pastor's wife serving in Marlborough, Massachusetts. She is a mother of three young children and enjoys encouraging and ministering to women and other young moms like herself.