Unprecendented times - in our lifetime here.
For parents with kids at home, let's take this opportunity to strengthen their core competency skills in other ways, on top of the online traditional schooling. Here are some examples from my kids' lives right now:
1) Take turns cooking a meal.
Have the children plan the meal from finding the recipe and ingredients. Yes, even my seven year old can wash vegetables, mix & knead dough, Throughout this process, have a discussion at dinner on how the ingredients were grown, from which country and how they ended up at the table.
2) If not already, post a map of the world by the dinner table, so during mealtimes, kids and parents can have discussions about the world, cities, geograph, where difference animal live. Below is a picture of our map by our dining table.
3) Assign each child some household chores or what I reframe as "family contributions" on top of cleaning their room. Examples for our kids are listed here. Seven year-old: swiffer the floors, set the table, empty the dishwasher, dust, fold laundry, rake leaves. Our 12 and 15 year-olds: vacuum, wash dishes, laundry, clean the bathrooms, shovel snow, walk the dog.
4) Encourage independent schedule-making after their online schooling, such as when to practice their instruments, practice another language (duolingo), learn something meaningful new on their own (through youtube), create art projects, reading, walking or running outside with social distancing.
5) Discuss how a virus spreads and why we are all social distancing.
6) With social distancing, take a walk or bike ride together, everyday.
7) Do not leave the news on.
More details of these ideas soon to follow!
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