~ Quarantine Social Distancing
Learning never cease and the first teacher is the parent at home. NOW is the time to reinforce in an organized structure being flexible having a traditional school schedule. IT CAN BE DONE….
PATIENCE!!! PRAYERS!!! PERSEVERANCE!!!
1. Explain ‘why’ schools and other establishments are closed (use age-level language and always be open to their body language, questions and their frustrations at this time. REMEMBER, regardless of age, we ALL need REINFORCEMENT.
2. Your flexibility, creativity and sharing with other families, your child’s parents, school officials via phone or social media will prove helpful at this time. This is the time for ‘it takes a village to raise a child’.
HERE ARE A FEW SUGGESTIONS OF FUN/LEARNING at HOMESCHOOLING:
>LEARN how to cook’; how to learn to play games like chess, scrabble, monopoly, Candy Lane, Ladder’ ‘ how to dance (especially the ‘oldie goldies’ such as square dance, the twist, etc.) ; how to play the piano; make musical instruments with household gear…. LOL…get ready for the old pots and pans. ALSO, these internet ‘virtual tours’ are valuable of math problems, scientific experiments such as making a volcano…just GOOGLE specifically for ‘virtual tours.
>Have an indoor picnic with kids’ participation in preparing the food, wearing the appropriate clothing.
>Make a ‘WISH LIST or BUCKET LIST’ of places/events the family would like to go and things you wish to pursue when this ‘PERIOD IN TIME’ is over. Keep a record of 1. WHY you want this and the projected financial cost.
(NOTE: THEY don’t know, but between you and I… this is also a learning experience of planning/math/etc.!!!)
>Catch up with the many movies (most are ‘FREE’ from Netflix and search for seasonal movies even if it is not Christmas yet…The ‘GAME NETWORK’ with fun/learning skills such as ’25 Words or Less’; ‘Chain Reaction”; ‘America Says’; ‘Match Game’; 25 Thousand Pyramid’ ‘Family Feud’; ‘Jeopardy’; ‘Cash Cab’; ‘Common Knowledge’
>Have your daily schedule written on a poster/chalk board with and have your kids give suggestions of the time schedule with the subjects similar to those they’ve had at their school. GIVE and RECEIVE suggestions for a flexible schedule noting that rescheduling it permissible based on theirs and your physical status daily. RECESS is important and should be included…sorry NO ‘nap time’ for middle/senior high schoolers!!! HOWEVER, all of need a ‘cooling-off minute and an ALONE time for REFLECTIONS, PRIVACY and have this on your written schedule!
NOTE: I am a senior citizen and the t.v. network of games is my FAVORITE NETWORK!!!
>LETTER WRITING….CATCH UP ON ‘THANK-YOU-NOTES’ AND JUST WRITE NOTES OF ‘I’m Thinking of You at this time’…. The kids’ teachers, grandparents, aunts/uncles and especially those in nursing homes (they don’t have to know them personally) and especially those working at the hospitals, fire stations, grocery stores, the sanitation department workers would think a note of ‘THANKS’ is a ‘LOTTERY GIFT’!!!!!! This of course is ‘teaching’ kids of kindness and giving when learning to give/share with others…. especially at this time!!!
>BIBLE STUDY/ PRAYERS before meals and before bedtime are not only needed but essential for LIFE! Your church or someone’s church service are streamlined on the internet….by ALL means, DO THIS AS A FAMILY UNIT!!! AND CONTINUE AFTERWARD THIS ‘PERIOD OF TIME’!
My prayers are with you and I would love to hear from you ….call the REPORTER for your feedback of this article and others and surely, your kids would love to see their suggestions printed in next month’s newspaper!!!
STAY FOCUSED, SAFE, and RELISH this time
for FAMILIES are the CORE of the WORLD….