A great message from Highlights about Covid-19.

You can be any kind of teacher to your kids, and they’ll not only survive, but they’ll also learn and grow.

Lessons can be both taught and “caught.”

Here are a few thoughts you may find helpful:

  • You don’t have to be Super Parent. Discard any notion you may have about keeping the household running smoothly—and, while you’re at it, throw away the guilt, too. These are trying, uncertain times. Accept a little disorder as you aim for a realistic routine. Get your kids out of their pajamas, and set regular meals and bedtimes, but rule out a rigid schedule. We’re going to be in this for a while, and a fixed daily agenda may become a grind. The more you persist, the more they may resist.
  • Hold sensible expectations about keeping your child’s education on track with store-bought workbooks and lesson plans sent home from school or created by you. Sure, a little structured time at the kitchen table where you oversee some formal instruction isn’t a bad idea, but don’t try to sustain that for the length of a typical school day.
  • Remember, reading can take you anywhere. Books and magazines transport us to different times and places, even when we’re stuck at home. What a great time to practice or introduce the habit of reading for pleasure. Think beyond bedtime and consider setting aside at least 15 minutes once or twice throughout the day when the whole family drops everything to read. (Ring a bell or set an alarm to add to the surprise and heighten anticipation.) Even children who are reading independently love hearing books read aloud. Kids’ listening levels are often higher than their reading levels, so it’s possible to find an exciting book the whole family will enjoy. Choose a book with chapters that are cliff-hangers, leaving listeners starving for more.
  • One of the best ways to keep your kids’ brains engaged is with informal, hands-on activities. Let your kids cook with you, and sneak in some math and science lessons. Take a nature walk and identify trees and flowers. Do some spring gardening, or some bird-watching. Share one of your hobbies with your child. Teach them to knit or let them build something with scrap wood in the garage.
  • Encourage creative self-expression. Set out the art or craft supplies, and don’t worry too much about the mess. Urge your writers to compose their own stories. Let your divas record themselves singing, playing instruments, or acting. Join in, if you can. It’s both fun and therapy.
  • Do break out the board games. Word games like Scrabble and Boggle can build vocabulary and spelling skills. Games like Yahtzee give kids practice in basic math. Many games, such as Ticket to Ride, teach strategic thinking. Almost all games designed for two players or more—both tabletop and digital—can bolster kids’ social skills.
  • Use digital devices wisely. We suggest, especially for younger kids, that parents load their devices with some of the many fun, educational games and puzzles available. Discourage kids from spending too much time passively watching videos. When the family gathers around the TV, consider watching some of the great nature documentaries available, and check out the kids’ movies based on award-winning children’s books.
  • Encourage your children to think about others. Health officials say that it’s safe to open mail, so invite your kids to write to family and friends who are social-distancing in other locations. I call handwritten letters “hugs we send in the mail,” and we could all use more hugs right now. Thank-you notes mailed to first responders at police stations and fire stations are always appreciated. Encourage your kids to FaceTime the people they love and miss.

Chances are we’re going to be All Together Alone for a while. It won’t be easy, but we don’t have to make it hard, either. What we’ll need most is the ability to see the upside and celebrate it. If we can backburner our fear and focus on hope and optimism, we can teach kids an important life lesson about managing strife. And we’ll all discover that unexpected opportunities are often the sweetest.

Sincerely,

Maya Rababeh

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