Many parents will be feeling pressure about parenting during the lock down. It's entirely possible that you are seeing social media and emails from friends and family or acquaintances that talk about how well they are and how in fact they are thriving educationally and socially during this lock down period. Many will be proffering advice about how to do all of this in the best way possible. While this is often well intentioned and helpful advice it may not be what you need in your situation. I’d encourage you to take a moment and think about what works best for you and your family.
Some structure is important to maintain while everyone is at home this should be loosely based on a few key areas such as enjoying at least one meal together as a group and everyone engaging in some form of exercise during the day, basic hygiene like showering and brushing teeth and putting on clothes suitable for the day at least most days (pajama days can be fun as long as it’s not every day). Young children will benefit from reading and talking with an adult and some basic maths and spelling practice regularly and these things can be managed within a loose routine. Older children may benefit from parents showing an interest in their studies and providing some support for the child developing their own study routine. For the most part, be kind to yourself and adopt the concept of ‘good enough’, there is no need or desire for you to be the perfect parent. Good enough is good enough. If your child spends more time than usual watching TV or on devices, beyond checking that they are accessing appropriate content (age appropriate) then that is fine and feel free to enjoy the ability to get some work done or spend some time doing something you enjoy.
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AuthorRobyn Stead, Child Psychologist and Educator, lives and works in central Auckland. Archives
March 2022
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