We have been stuck at home far more than 14 days! The routine is now far better as well. Still it could be challenging to keep a happy atmosphere. There is a risk of being lazy, laying on the sofa, texting and enjoying the best jokes on social media about the virus. There is the risk of letting your children spend too much time in front of the TV because you have to work, and the risk of shouting at your partner or your children because you are so fed up with this awkward situation.
However I have wonderful news: these unusual and challenging circumstances don’t have to overwhelm you! Yes, you will make it through! Look at what you have already done! Trust me, it may not be perfect all the time and, for sure, you have to be creative, to adapt again and again, to try, to improve, but this is an amazing chance to know more about yourself, your partner, your children and to create deeper relationships between these people you care about. Take courage and carry on!
What about your family routine?
you have to work from home
your partner has to work from home
your children have to work as if they were at school
Here we are. Not entirely! What else do you and your family need to be happy and to follow what you all usually do?
spend time together (chatting, sharing a meal…)
play / relax
exercise
have a dedicated time for oneself
create a joint family project (for the brave and adventurous)
Feel free to revisit and amend this schedule as time progresses. It may not have been perfect after the first attempt. It may not have been comprehensive and the planned use of time may not have been efficient. Be bold enough to tinker with it as a family to make it work better for all.
Work activities have to be age appropriate. It may be a good idea to start with what is more challenging for your children. In the morning, when everyone is full of energy and ready for a new day, concentration will be far better than at 5:30pm.
Show patience, encouragement and tenderness. If you look at this moment as a good time to know more about each other, a chance to have a deeper knowledge of who your child truly is and how he/she works, this is the opportunity. Some breaks will help to put you back in a caring mindset. Always remind yourself that a positive atmosphere is crucial if they are to memorise well and have their brains working efficiently.
This is a huge opportunity for your children to develop their sense of responsibility and sense of effort, useful tools for their adult lives, and for you to know more about what your children are learning.
It is important for everyone to realise that this daily family routine is teaching and preparation for the broader social life. For everyone to be happy, everyone has to know that their needs are respected. Those needs are the objectives I have listed earlier. Sense of service is key when one is part of a community. Yes tidying up could be annoying for a 6 years old, but life is also about frustration, courage and service. So even if your children complain about the rules everyone had agreed together to keep the family organised, you, as a mother, could exercise your authority to ensure that everyone respects the program for the benefit of all. Keep in mind that it will be beneficial in their future. Raising children who will be able to step in, offer their help and support for one other will become adults that will be open to the others in their life, at work, with their friends and family. So carry on mum, you are doing a great job here!
You also have to realise that sticking to a daily routine will support the end of isolation. If everyone goes wild, this will be even harder when normality will be back, being at school at 9am, working sitting on a chair, listening to a lesson, doing homework in the evening back home. This new routine can be a great gift for your children to discover what is essential in each day, and to be able to remember this when isolation will be over.