Ten Year Homeschool Vetran & Mom Of 8 Shares Tips To Survive “Quarantine Schooling”
The past five weeks have felt a bit like the movie Groundhog Day. Wash. Rinse. Repeat. Our normal homeschool life has changed very much since the quarantine and we’ve had many outside activities cancelled as we adjust to “quarantine schooling”. However, I’ve also had plenty of seasons being home for a majority of the time, especially after having a baby, and I wanted to share some tips with you that I use to keep my sanity and find a balance between caring for the kids/ house/ husband and self. With these strategies and the right mindset, you can be successful during this time.
- Include your kids in as much of your day-to-day life as possible. They will eventually grow up and move out and now is the perfect time to teach them the life skills they need to be successful. My philosophy is if they can operate an electronic device, they can totally operate the washer, dryer, dishwasher and vacuum. Show them how and then watch them as they practice. You might never get another opportunity to teach them these life skills so invest the time and do it now. Learning how to manage a home will be an asset for them and it gives them a sense of purpose and belonging so leave the guilt behind and enjoy the extra help. After dinner each day we do a 20 minute house tidy to reset the house back to normal after a full day of schooling and living.
- If your children are like mine, they always want something to eat so I try to have nourishing “fast food” on hand for them so they can help themselves and I’m not stuck in the kitchen all day long. Food such as hard boiled eggs, cheese, fresh fruit, raisins and nuts seem to be a hit around here. Don’t get me wrong, my husband buys plenty of chips and treats, but I always offer the nourishing food first before the “sometimes” food.
- Speaking of food, Now is the perfect time to let your teens take turns making dinner one night a week. Teens are always on the run, so take advantage of this downtime (you might not get another chance) to teach them some basic cooking skills and then let them practice. If you have younger kids, teach them how to make something simple like scrambled eggs and toast (breakfast for dinner anyone?)
- Last year I implemented an hour of silent reading time after lunch. The kids choose a book to read for one hour (audiobooks are fine too for younger readers). This teaches them how to enjoy a good story and an added bonus is an hour of quiet for you during the day where you can do something for yourself.
- As an introvert, it’s important for me to build quiet moments into my day to help me keep my sanity. Since I’m a morning person, I get up early and have time to read and drink a cup of tea before the rest of the house wakes up. I also choose to head to bed a bit early so I can read a good book, this helps me de-stress. I want to encourage you to find something that soothes you and helps you to destress so you can find little pockets of joy during your day. A little bit of intentional self care goes a long way to keeping your sanity.
- Get to know yourself. I know I love to learn and enjoy spending time outside. Around four o’clock each day my five little boys start to get really rowdy so I found that heading outside to let them play in the yard while I listen to a podcast and walk around my driveway is a great way to meet their needs and mine. I can get fresh air and exercise & learn something from an interesting podcast while the kids can burn off extra energy and soak up some vitamin D. It’s a perfect solution for this time of our lives. So ask yourself “What do I like?” and then use your current circumstances to make the best plan for yourself.
Life is not always going to be this way. Rather than focus on everything that is cancelled and what you are missing, shift your focus to “How can I be successful in this & make it a great time for my family?” Then lean into those answers and do it! You got this momma!
Katie Corbett, MS, CHES is a Certified Health Education Specialist and Certified Wellness & Health Coach and CEO of Health Wellness and Chocolate where she teaches moms how to lose weight for the last time.