Parents are busy in households and office requirements trying to figure out the ways to keep the children at home productively engaged. At times we have extremely high hopes even from our toddlers. Hours of learning including online activities, science experiments, book reports and what not.
But you need to just pause and understand a thing. Our kids too have never experienced anything like this before. Although the idea of being off from school for 4 weeks sounds awesome, they are probably picturing a fun time like summer break, however the reality of being locked at home and not being able to meet their friends is now beginning to set in.
The first few days even my nephews were very excited. They enthusiastically called me told, “Bua, our vacations have started and no school now. We can now do what we want”. They were both excited playing at home but just after 4 days started missing their outdoor time, their friends, their activity classes and yes, even school & teachers. One of them showed a tantrum fit that lasted for 2 hours and it became very difficult for my brother and sister in law to handle. All that the little fellow wanted was the open air and the fresh blue sky! We are all feeling helpless, that we can’t even offer them this simple thing.
Over the coming weeks, you might see an increase in behavioural issues with your kids. Whether it’s anxiety or anger that they can’t do things normally – it will happen. You might see more tantrums and opposing behaviour in the coming weeks. Don’t panic as this is normal and expected under these circumstances.
What kids need right now is to feel comforted and loved. To feel like it’s all going to be ok. That means we need to take out some quality time from our work schedule and love our kids a bit more. Play with them, invent new indoor games, involve them in household chores, cook with them, paint pictures, play board games and watch movies once in a while. Do a hands on activity together or find virtual field trips to a museum. Start a book and read together as a family. Snuggle under a sheet and do just nothing. Life has given us a forced opportunity to slow down our pace. Let’s make the most of it.
Staying fit at this time is very important for everyone. My brother has made an exercise schedule for 45 minutes where he involves both the boys. They are just 5 years old and have learnt just yesterday how to do crunches. Teaching an exercise to a child is the best way to channelize that immense energy that’s stored in them. Children get bored being locked up in the house, seeing and talking to the same faces’ night and day. So, take this opportunity, connect your kids to their cousins, grandparents, chacha- chachi, mama-mami etc through facetime or video call. Choose one relative every day and make your child talk to them. Just 5 minutes of this activity will break the monotony.
Don’t worry about them losing out on their academics at school. Every single kid is in the same boat and they all will be ok.
When they are back in the classroom, we will again be with them with the same spirit to get them to their proper learning curve. Till then be with the school and help your child maintain a connect with the school by staying engaged in the activities, virtual classes, practice work that the school is designing for the child. Remember that planning even a simple activity takes hours of hard work of the Educator, who at these times of no household help available is also busy in house chores.
So just be a part of this new way of learning. The practical part will again happen when we hop from the virtual class to the real one. We as teachers are experts at this!
Don’t scold your kids because they don’t want to do the academic work you have planned for them. Don’t get annoyed at kids for not following the schedule that you have made for them. Don’t force the learning time that you think is necessary, if they are resisting it. Most importantly, these are testing times so never lose your patience towards your child.
If we can leave you with just one thought, it’s this: at the end of all of this, our kids’ emotional and mental health will be more important than their academic skills. How they felt during this time will stay with them long after the memory of what & how they did during these weeks is long gone.
Keep that in mind, every single day.
Stay Home. Stay Safe. STAY HAPPY & KEEP EVERYONE HAPPY.
– DIVYA JOSHI
