Crazy times we’re in now, huh? We’re all making our way through this space of abandoning our previous routines, floundering to find new/temporary ones, perhaps feeling stir crazy – all likely with the kids home from school and the adults working from home.
The “Pinterest perfect” pressure can set in – urging us to adopt THIS perfect hour by hour schedule to prevent our kids from experiencing, not summer slide, but extended spring break slide. All while keeping up with our work. Maybe scrambling for daycare. And, wait, I’m not qualified to teach my kids! I don’t have a teaching degree. Etc. etc. Yikes!
This pattern of thought is understandable, but can easily be a slippery slope. Deep breaths, all. This, too, shall pass. “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (II Timothy 1:7, King James Bible).
Everyone is doing the best they can. You are doing the best you can. Let that be enough. With this framework, let’s move forward, guided by what feels right for ourselves and our families. Here are some how-to’s of homebound. “How to” does not mean “the only way to…”. It just means how can we approach these times in a way that’s healthy, supportive, productive? These tips apply to anyone – whether you are a parent, finding yourself unexpectedly working from home, or just grappling with how to process these unprecedented times and support the community at large.
1. Set Realistic Expectations.
Perhaps recreating 7 hours of school at home, with lesson plans and the whole nine yards, is gonna work for you. But, if, like many of us, it isn’t, that’s ok. There are a couple extremes: 1. Full on “school”, and 2. Never getting dressed, sleeping until noon, no books, screen time all day, day after day. And, you know what? Our kids’ previous routines could get so busy… juggling sports and activities, homework, chores, friends and family time. Welcome this time as our collective exhale. Not a free for all, but an exhale. There’s a middle ground here.
My goals are to strive for connection, doing what we can, with what we have, where we are, and being realistic about it all. What this looks like from my perspective: some chill (such as sleeping in), some learning (see below, 1-2 hrs/day), getting outside daily, and enjoying some unstructured time.
Even if you don’t have kids at home, just because you’re home more than usual, doesn’t mean you’ll automatically have more motivation to clean, organize, and tackle everything on your to-do list. We’re definitely hearing about these people on social media. But, you may feel more inclined to cozy up, read a book, and enjoy additional time for reflection. There’s no right or wrong approach.
2. Explore Learn at Home Resources.
We’re not striving for perfection with home schooling. We’re keeping the wheels on the bus for awhile. Filling the gap. Once we shed the weight of thinking we need to be curriculum developers and teachers, it’s actually fun to explore some available at-home learning resources. Your kids’ school may be sharing resources with you. If so, great! If not, there’s a lot of other options out there. Many of these are child led and can be explored independently.
Just this morning, I showed my 3rd grader a website and left it to him to engage with whatever he found interesting. He chose to watch a video about George Washington. Then, he excitedly proceeded to piece together a George Washington-esque costume. This took no preparation or direction on my part to make sure he was “applying” his learning. He did this naturally. This dress up time and creativity IS learning. Building forts IS learning. Exploring outside IS learning.
- Scholastic Learn at Home. Day-by-day projects to keep kids reading, thinking, and growing.
- Virtual Field Trips.
- Museum Tours.
- Easy Indoor Activities for Kids.
3. Find a Routine.
Kids crave routines. When I first told my son he would be out of school for awhile, I mentioned that we would get to do some of that learning at home. He lit up and said “Oh, like do specials, then have snack time, then recess, then….” Hmmm, seems he skipped over the math and reading parts;). But, the point is, he wanted to recreate that sense of routine at home. It’s familiar. And, in these times that are anything but familiar, bringing some elements of our routine with us can be comforting.
Similarly, my daughter lamented to me yesterday that she hadn’t worked out in 3 days. I remarked that I hadn’t worked out in probably 3 weeks! Then she said “Yeah, but mom, it’s not part of your daily routine and it IS part of mine!” She was right. She truly enjoys to exercise, and was more thrown off because she was missing something that is part of her norm. I, on the other hand, try to grab a class here and there, but it is not part of my routine, so it felt like no big deal for me.
Our routines may look different for awhile, but think through what elements can stay the same. For example, most of the morning and night routines can stay intact. The times may adjust, but the elements remain. For example: wake up, get dressed, eat breakfast, brush teeth, make bed. There’s a grounding element to this that sets us all up for the day.
4. Work From Home Tips.
In my previous career, I worked on a team to define and execute a flexible work environment (including working remotely) at our place of business. It was fascinating – digging into understanding what flexibility was desired, identifying and removing roadblocks, and gathering and interpreting data about remote work.
If you find yourself in uncharted territory of working from home, or perhaps leading a team who is working from home, I share these tips:
- Trust that your team is doing their job. More often than not, they are, even though they’re home. Feeling trust and extending trust from and to your boss/employees/co-workers during this team goes a long way toward establishing an environment of mutual respect and productivity.
- Maintain a schedule. This includes setting boundaries. It can be easy to allow work time to blur with the family and personal hours, so set some work hours – just like if you were physically entering and exiting your employer’s building. Also, take breaks. Eat lunch. Get outside, even if it’s only for a few minutes.
- Find a good place to work. It can be hard to focus amidst a commotion filled household. Try to find a place that’s somewhat separate from the main buzz of the home. I work from home and I established a mini routine that has been helpful for me to start my work day. I simply slide our big office barn door closed, acting as a visual/spatial cue that signals it’s time for me to get to work.
- Establish some protocol. What’s the best way for your team to contact each other? Text? Call? An internal communication platform? How will meetings be conducted? There are lots of tools to facilitate productive remote communication and face time. Ensure everyone is on the same page to ensure efficiency.
5. Care for Yourself and Others.
- Get outside daily. Walk the dog, play some sports, do anything to breathe in some fresh air.
- Start a daily gratitude list. It can be easy to get sucked into negativity and fear, but this is a great way to remind ourselves of the good that always has been and will continue to be all around us.
- Support small and local businesses. Really, support all businesses. Keep that economy rollin. But, particularly those small businesses that were already operating on a shoestring budget and may be hurting now and in the coming months. You can purchase a gift card for a restaurant and redeem it at a future date.
We’re all in this together. And, this too, shall pass.