With the entire country locked up at home for the next few weeks, many parents will have to find ways of entertaining their little ones.
Educator and entrepreneur Lisa Illingworth shares a few tips on why sticking to routine might not be such a bad idea.
“COVID-19 brings with it the opportunity for parents and kids to design their own learning pathways. Here, children can learn at their own pace through various new and exciting channels,” she says.
Cabin fever will set in soon enough and kids, particularly those up to age 8, may associate the COVID-19 self-quarantine period with downtime.
Lisa Illingworth, co-founder and CEO of FutureProof SA, mom of 2, educator and entrepreneur encourages parents to curb this by creating a disciplined and structured daily routine.
“Routine is fundamental in building expectations and meeting them – especially in a time of rapid change,” she adds.
For parents who are now working from home, juggling all the factors at play is daunting. Lisa shares a few easy pointers to keep the balance:
Communication
“Talk openly to your children about what’s currently going on and the measures that you as a family have put in place during this time. Explain to them that school activities will be taking place at home and that there will be routine.”
Ownership
Lisa notes that while things should be kept as light as possible to reduce stress on the family, the kids should be allocated some homework and deadlines around these. “As much as possible, this time should emulate one’s normal day-to-day activities. Putting boundaries in placing and having your children ‘own’ their time and account for their time will also help you to focus on work, housework and other activities”.
“This is also a good time for us to adapt to and be flexible to change and this new way of working. Fast change is not always easy but teaching our kids how to adapt from a young age is key” she explains.
Keep it fun
“Have some fun with routine. Add in some outdoor play time in the yard, creative activities such as colouring, painting and pottery and download some workout videos,” says Lisa.
“In addition, this is the perfect time to set up a shop, come up with a fun business venture, try out new online learning platforms and cook together” Lisa concludes.
