Practical Tips For Being at Home with Your Kids All Day, Every Day [Episode 100]

Today we're talking about practical tips to be able to enjoy yourself and your family during this crazy Coronavirus Quarantine time. As a homeschooling mom, I've figured out a few things along the way that can help as we all cope with the changes of being at home with our children all day, every day. Key Points from this Episode: Look to create a rhythm or routine for your household. Every day does not need to be the same, but general expectations help kids and adults alike to feel grounded. Cleaning up after meals is our "ticket to play/project" because who wouldn't want to play, but the work needs to get done too! We come together, eat together, we have some sort of intellectual stimulation/conversation/activity, then the kids have free play. Then it repeats. Build a repeatable rhythm that are tied to anchors of things like eating meals together. More time at home means more time for the kids to engage in things they love as well as being more engaged in the housework together. Have a conversation with your kids about what household work needs to get done and who can do what. Yes, there will be more work with everyone being home, but there are more people to share the load as well. Have a family council to discuss screen time to prevent the need for constant decision-making in the moment. Set a reasonable expectation. Embrace the time you have to let your kids cook with you, clean with you, etc. Don't try to recreate the public school in your home. Doing a little bit of skill work that is on level with where they are is all they need to keep those brain muscles active. Having a solid family read-aloud helps so much during a tough time. It brings everyone together and lets everyone escape into a world together. Consider having something that kids can do to have their hands busy while you read if they tend to get mischievous without guided movement. Just be curious. Just keep trying. Try something new. Each day, find things to mix it up. Do what works for your family. Remember - You probably already have a lot of these things going for you, so make sure you're doing them intentionally and consistently and it'll be great! Play games! They always help with math skills. Keep what you can do in perspective. Sometimes all you can do is keep a smile on your face and stay kind. Set the goal to be respond rather than react. Identify what is in your circle of influence vs your circle of concern. Ask yourself what unhelpful thoughts you had and prayerfully evaluate them to see how you can make adjustments in the future. Remind yourself this is temporary. Identify what you, as a parent, are looking forward to on a daily or weekly level. Pay attention to the magic moments with your children. It will help change what you see to find more of the magic. Resources This site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links. Chronicles of Narnia  The Trumpet of the Swan  Winnie the Pooh, The House at Pooh Corner  Milly-Molly-Mandy  Besty-Tacy  The Boxcar Children  My Father’s Dragon  Little House in the Big Woods - and all of the books in the Little House Series!  The Long Winter is our favorite and maybe feels a bit relevant now.  The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Stephen R. Covey Thriving in Motherhood Journal