Parenting during a Pandemic (#COVID-19) - Schedule
Just 2 weeks ago, life seemed normal aside from some heightened vigilance around hand washing (or using hand sanitizer) and perhaps stocking up on some essentials. Just 7 days ago (that’s right, Thursday, March 12…the day before Friday the 13th) our kids were still in school and playing with friends. That day we got hits that the Coronavirus (COVID-19) was going to dramatically impact our lives.
One piece of information that can give parents (some) relief is that kids seem less vulnerable to Coronavirus than adults.
During this time of uncertainty, there is one thing we all need to remember, we are all in this together!
This is not easy for anyone. Having young kids (aged 3 and 1 for us) adds a level of complexity. Our little boy asks everyday why he isn’t going back to school and if he can go jump (or visit SkyZone, a trampoline park).
The number one thing that can help keep us and your little ones on track is to maintain a good schedule.
We do our best, but struggle between working and being the “cruise director” for 2 kids under 4… You can search the internet and Instagram for tons of proposed routines to keep families and kids functional. Because of the abundance of resources out there, I will just share some best practices and our pitfalls:
Make sure you know your schedule. On our case both of us work, we have to be mindful of our commitments to work such as projects and conference calls. This is good time for free play, nap time or screen time.
Build indépendance into you plan. We are working to teach our kids independence and self reliance during this time.
Allow yours pounce time for mean for R&R. It is a tough time with a lot of family time. Give your spouse a break, let them work out, read, nap or work on a project by themselves.
Be flexible. Just because you have a schedule does not mean you have to stick to it!
Would love to hear your hacks and tips for parenting during #COVID19, I opened comments below.
Stay safe and wash those hands.
