The current global pandemic has made a lot of people all over the world stuck inside their homes. Parents are at their wits’ end working at home while they tend to their children. We are all working hard to survive this health crisis, and a crucial part of surviving is ensuring that our kids remain healthy and happy at home.
Wendy Williams-Gilbert, a director of the Registered Nurse-Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at Washington State University, says, “We need to remember that the kids don’t know what to expect either, and they’re looking at us to set examples.”
According to Gilbert, there are some steps that families can take while spending time together to keep children, and the whole household, healthy. She recommends turning the mundane task of cleaning their hands into a game.
“You could put an “X” on their hand with a marker, and whoever cleans it off first gets a prize,” she said.
Arlene Harris, a mother of three, also recommends making toddlers feel useful at home. Harris says that children at this age have a keen eye for the smallest things, which means that taking them outdoors and doing activities will keep them amused for a long time. If you can’t take the children outdoors, you can conduct activities at home or in your yard.
You will be surprised how a household chore, such as sorting the laundry into piles, can keep the children happy at home. Toddlers enjoy when they do things, whether it’s a household chore or not. Besides, teaching them basic household chores can show them the value of keeping things neat and orderly in the house.
Older children who enjoy screen time can use this opportunity to learn. Instead of allowing your kids to watch endless videos online, research educational videos that will keep them learning while they can’t go to school. There are also plenty of online resources for each age level that you can find to ensure your children are still learning despite being stuck inside the house.
As for parents, keep in mind that it all starts with you. Therefore, you need to keep yourself in check as well. Tiffany Munzer, M.D., a pediatrician specializing in behavioral development at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, suggests that parents should cut themselves some slack. “Allow yourself some grace and breaks throughout the day. Everybody is facing unprecedented uncertainty, so as much as you are able to, focus on things you’re able to control,” she said.
Conclusion
Keeping children healthy and happy during the COVID-19 outbreak may be tedious, but parents need to take comfort in the fact that they can push through with it. Doing simple activities at home and assigning some of them to your children will keep them occupied and happy. Besides that, immersing them in educational resources in the forms of videos and other resources online may help you stay on top of things when it comes to their wellbeing.
Take this opportunity to enjoy your time with your children and do more activities together. After all, that’s all you can do, at least for the time being.
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