The pandemic has made everyone feel time differently. With nowhere to be and no one to see, it can feel like one day just melts into the next. Your sleep can be affected as well as your mental health if your life lacks structure.
If you’re feeling the effects of endless days, just imagine how bad it must be for your children. In a sense, kids thrive on having some sort of daily routine. Now, with school starting back up again, establishing a semblance of a schedule is very important for your young one’s academic success and overall happiness. Here are a few tips for creating structure in your child’s life.
Set aside time for studying.
Although your children might not love this idea, it’s important to continue to work on certain areas of study, especially if your child struggles with a certain subject. The amount of time that your child works on schoolwork doesn’t have to be rigorous or long, just enough to get them back in the “school” mindset. If online schooling has already started, give them time to take a break after class with a snack, and then have them sit for fifty minutes to work on the areas they need to strengthen.
If your child needs help with math word problems, Thinkster Math is the perfect online tutoring service. Everything is online or through an app, so you never have to meet with anyone face-to-face. Some pages even give parents helpful tips on how to walk your child through difficult problems. Your child will strengthen his or her math skills over time with the help of Thinkster Math. Who knows, they may even like this part of the routine because even though it’s math, they also get screen time.
Mark the passing of time during the holidays.
Holidays just aren’t going to be the same this year. Even if a vaccine is made, it’ll take quite some time before everyone will actually have access. Many of your favorite pre-Christmas activities probably won’t be open or they just won’t be the same this year, because of masks, social distancing, and a capped capacity. In order to make a routine for the coming holidays, find fun ways to mark the passing of time at home.
If your family is Catholic, consider creating your own advent calendar to mark the passing of time leading up to Christmas day. It’s a nice way to physically celebrate and teach your children since mass might not be occurring as usual. Lighting the advent candles will build anticipation and give you and your loved ones time to reflect on the role Christ plays in your lives and how you’d like to implement his teachings in the year to come.
Stick to a sleep schedule.
It can be easy to let the kids sleep until the afternoon just to get some peace and quiet, and to give yourself time to get work and chores done. However, you might find there are more behavioral problems with this strategy because your kid’s bodies aren’t getting the rest they need. If you let them sleep in too late, you’ll also never get them to bed. Set an alarm, and get yourself up, so you can get the kids up. It might seem pointless during the pandemic, but everyone will be sleeping and developing better if there’s an established routine.
Keep feeding times regular.
When your child was an infant, you probably had a list of feeding times and stuck to a strict schedule. In order to create a routine for your child, consider bringing that strategy back. Try to get meals and snacks on the table around the same time. Your child will know what to expect and when, so hopefully he or she will stop asking while you’re on a Zoom conference call.