Working from home is a great way to juggle being both a parent and an employee. But it can also be challenging, especially if you have young children. We all know how hard it is to keep your kids entertained at home during the day – but what about when they are in lockdown? Here are some tips for keeping your sanity while working from home with kids just waiting for something fun to do!
As a non-essential business owner and mother of two little ones (ages six and three), I was faced with pausing business as usual but still needing to keep communication lines open to my current clients. And then also learning how to engage my son with homeschooling. Also, trying to keep the three-year-old at bay because as soon as my full attention went to my son, she would also be vying for some. To be honest, some days, I gave up altogether, and we played with Lego instead.
As Canberra families entered the third week of a hard lockdown, I decided to research how I could do a little bit better when it came to homeschooling. I thought I’d share them here, but I would honestly so appreciate any tips and tricks from parents who have this figured out. Leave your comments below.
Or maybe, you’re like me… And are floundering in this mess too. I’d love to hear from you too.
Five tips and tricks from a mum who is barely keeping it together
- Make things accessible for your children. I spent a few hours early on reorganising my fridge and pantry cupboards to allow my children more freedom when it came to grabbing snacks. This saved me from having to prepare snacks or being interrupted mid-task if they came to me saying they were hungry. I also organised their toys so that bits and pieces scattered around the home were placed together again. Setting the toys out in an easy to see and accessible way invited them to play with their toys instead of reverting to screens.
- Have a chat with your kids and ask what they think about it all. Have a quick brainstorming session together as a family around ways you can be productive, creative and inspired while in lockdown. You might be surprised by how much they know about the lockdown and what their ideas are.
- Figure out how your family is going to deal with school during the lockdown. What do you want to prioritise? Have a family meeting and agree together on what should be fair and easy for everyone to achieve as a minimum. Agree together on what your children should achieve as a minimum every day, and there is no judgement if that is all that is achieved.
- Find the time to play together. Play is an essential part of childhood development. A lot of children’s play happens naturally when the kids are at school. Finding that time to be with your children and play with them can be a way to connect. It gives your child an opportunity to open up and talk to you.
- Give yourself a break. See point number three above. You’re allowed to do the bare minimum on any given day, especially if you’re feeling overwhelmed. For instance, last Sunday, I didn’t get out of bed, and my daughter spent most of it on her iPad, lying down next to me.
In the midst of a lockdown, it can be hard to stay on top of things. It’s natural for some homeschooling tasks and personal responsibilities to go by the wayside as you focus more time on keeping your kids occupied with fun activities. Even though we’re all just trying to survive these next few weeks, there are still plenty of opportunities – both large and small – to make life better each day! If this sounds like you, take a few moments every day to reflect on what is going well in your daily routine and how that could translate into an improved experience for everyone involved.
What are your tips and tricks for managing and surviving in lockdown? Let me know in the comments below.
