Stay Connected

It looks like most schools around the country will be closed to help curtail the spread of the coronavirus. Although most children are excited the first week, I can imagine most people are wondering what happens in the weeks to follow. How long can children be home before you hear, “I’m  bored”. I recently heard the best comeback to that statement from a friend of mine, Nanette. She said every time she would say, “I’m bored”, her mother would reply “only boring people get bored”.   How I wish I had heard that line when my children were younger.

So what are some of the things that you can do when you are home for an extended period of time with or without children?

1. Read a book – this is the time to catch up on a book that you have been meaning to read but have not had the time to read.  You can read to children. Have children read a book. If they are old enough, they should write a book report.
2. Play games – Board games or card games. This may be the time to learn chess.
3. Arrange the pictures on your smartphone – This is the time to organize the thousands of pictures you have been taking through the years . Children can help.
4. Cook – see what you have in the kitchen and experiment with a recipe. Get the children involved.
5. Start spring cleaning early – go through the closets, go through the toys – if has not been used for years, it may be useful to another person. Pack them in a box ready to give away once these restrictions to leaving the house have been lifted.
6. Exercise, exercise, exercise – you can check out some exercise classes on line and do it together.
7. Start a journal/diary – write how you feel today and each day that you are home – it might make for a fascinating story after this pandemic is done.
8. Meditate – silence is powerful for both children and adults.
9. Catch up with friends and family – Face time is wonderful.
10. Yes, you can watch television or play the video games but put a time limit.

For the latest information on the coronavirus, check out the CDC website.