On one hand, we face the new lockdown as a challenge, an obstacle, which puts a lot of weight on parents, who in addition to their professional responsibilities, have to worry about their children, their education and also their leisure activities. On the other hand, we can see this time as a time to cultivate relationships with your children, an opportunity to spend quality time with your kids and slowdown from the stressful routine of your everyday life.
Therefore, the Aga Khan Education Board (AKEB) suggests a few tips to better organize and enjoy time at home with the children:
1. Create routines - routine helps the child's development. You can consider keeping their usual bedtime and morning chores, eating together and building a schedule to let them know your daily plan. Maintaining consistency can help children to feel regulated, calm and to make a situation that could be frightening more positive and predictable.
2. Plan your schedule together - when creating activities according to the interests and schedules of the children you will find that it will be easier to involve the children and keep their attention. The child will be very pleased to participate in the process and will see that the result will be much better.
3. Stimulating activities - you can create a schedule with varied and engaging activities to promote your child's stimulation, from motor activities and games to artistic moments. Activities can range from:
- Family games;
- Watching movies and short films;
- Storytelling;
- Psychomotor activities and games for closed spaces;
- Scientific activities and experiments.
4. Limit screen time and exercise - although the use of screens is often inevitable, it is important to limit their use and explore other and more educational options. For example, watch educational channels instead of the same tv shows. It is also important to ensure that children exercise as much as possible: from a pillow castle to an obstacle course - make sure your children are moving.
5. Free time - although the home environment is usually seen as the place to have fun and relax, including recess and free play in the schedule can help children understand the structure and routine.
Above all, don't forget that this can be a stressful time for both parents and children. So try to respect your routines, schedules, be patient and maintain optimism.
(rewritten article - initially published in March 2020)
