Back to Basics
How to connect with your child...
There is a lot of pressure to set up a home school to make sure your children are not missing out on education, but think about it carefully... It is the connection with peers and teaching staff that your children are likely to miss the most (particularly if they enjoy their setting) rather than the academic activities.
Schools don’t do as much ‘sit at a desk’ learning as we may think, and as parents and carers that is not our natural focus anyway.
Embrace your natural instinct to nurture!
There are so many ways we can connect with our children and it will do us all, and our anxieties, the world of good. Some good ideas are...
- Music - dance, sing, do a show... What ever works for you. But music is an amazing tool in lowering anxiety.
- Yoga - there are loads of amazing yoga videos for children online. (Cosmic Kids Yoga is fantastic!)
- Crafts - surely we can put all those toilet roll inners to some good use? Take a look at what you have at home, and google what to do with it.
- Art - we made some “Wash your Hands” posters this week to put at each sink.
- Circuits - inside or outside, set ‘zones’ with activities to do in each. I bet the kids will love the challenge of being better than the parents! Google sensory play too, this would be great in a game of circuits!
- Floor play - whether it’s an old puzzle you’ve nor played for ages or engaging in lego/building blocks. So much connection can happen when you’re physically on the same level.
- Cooking & baking - surely with the food shortages we should all be experts in concocting something from random ingredients? Get the kids involved too, you’ll find your meals become more fun!
- Hide & seek - this maybe slightly limiting as we are stuck on one site, at home, but fun nonetheless!
- Board games - dig out those old Christmas games! Nothing connects you more than the passion shown over a game of Monopoly Junior!
- Hug! Yes, we have to be careful with touch, but we still need it as humans. We have emotional, mental and physical well-being needs and that includes touch. Just make sure you’re washing your hands and face!
- NOTHING. Here’s our wild card. It’s ok to do NOTHING. Be bored, it breeds creativity! Just ‘be’ with your child. Chat, watch a movie... Do whatever, unplanned if you like!
If these don’t work for you, and I appreciate it’s not a one-size-fits-all thing, then use your good friend google!
But make connection top of your list when it comes to your ‘to do’ list during this difficult time.
