It’s safe to say that this year has presented us with unprecedented times. It’s hard enough for many of us as adults to absorb and adapt to the fast-changing information we are receiving, let alone for the children in our lives.
Feeling isolated from the world is far from ideal, especially when you need to be at home all the time. But, we must stay safe and these temporary restrictions will help to save lives and ensure life can get back to normal as soon as possible.
It’s important to remember that we are all in this together! With that in mind, we wanted to share a few tips with you on how to stay sane when the world seems to be going crazy. If you have children at home, read on for essential advice for keeping children’s (and your own) health, wellbeing and development on track during this time.
Keep routines consistent
Children thrive on routine. There is a reason why childcare centres, kinders and schools have timetabled structure to the day, and it’s because children feel comforted by knowing what’s next. That’s not to say you can’t have spontaneity and surprises, but even those are enhanced by having a routine in the first place. We have a great Daily Routine poster that you can use here. This will also help parents who need to work from home to create time where they can be productive and make those phone calls, send those emails and so on.
Physical isolation, not social
Social isolation may be the name that’s been given to our efforts to stay home and away from one another, but really, we just need to maintain physical distance. We can still be social – and we should be! Pick up the phone, get on FaceTime or Skype and keep chatting to your loved ones. This is essential for our mental health and wellbeing, as well as children’s.
Get outside when possible
The benefits of physical movement cannot be overstated. Children love to move – they need to move! Incorporate movement into your schedule. Get outside for a morning walk, go on the trampoline, turn music on and dance – it’s all a way to make our bodies and minds feel happier and healthier. We run free daily yoga sessions on Bonkers Beat for Kids, so come and join in!
Show care and compassion
Tensions are running high and people are stressed, anxious and agitated. Again, we are all in this together and we are all experiencing many feelings, many that are unpleasant. It is so essential to show care and compassion during this time. Hug children more often, reassure them, let them ask questions. We are all trying to understand what is going on, and children know even less! Where possible, slow down and make time for love.
Our Facebook group Bonkers Beat for Kids is full of ideas and useful tools to help you carve time out of the day to get some work done, have a cup of tea or just take a break while children are engaged by learning experiences with professional early childhood educators. Anyone can join and it’s completely free! Click here to join us.
There are many mums, dads, carers and educators in the group who are contributing and sharing, giving us a beautiful community to overcome this COVID-19 crisis together.