If you follow me on Twitter, you know that I follow the news very closely.
Thanks to many experts who weren’t afraid to speak up (hi, Dr. Dena!), + following Italian media, it’s been apparent to me that yesterday - the day it’s announced that schools are closing due to coronavirus - was coming.
We are ready. I am thankful that I had the resources to prepare our household.
We had already told the kids that this day would happen - we weren’t sure when it would, but we knew that the only question was when, not if.
Throughout, we’ll be talking with our kids and trying to help them process it. I’m sharing what we’re saying - maybe it can help you with your own conversations with your little ones.
First of all, we’re going to have a schedule.
We’ll let them have a few fun days of TV binging (and let’s be honest, it’ll partly be because the grownups will be glued to the news). After that, weekdays will have a schedule:
MORNING:
exercise/movement as a family; play in yard
learning time
free play
LUNCH
AFTERNOON:
exercise/movement; play in yard
learning time
music time
free play/screen time
DINNER
free play/get ready for bed
We’ll of course need to keep up the good hygiene
Wash hands, wash hands, wash hands. Cough + sneeze into your elbow. Don’t touch your face with unwashed hands. Help wipe down remotes, handles, etc. All this stuff.
We’ll be on our phones/computers a lot
Their dad and I have explained that this isn’t because we want to ignore them, but because we’re watching the news in order to make the best decisions for our family. Also, it’s absolutely okay to tell us they want us to get off the screen!
We won’t be able to go to the store for a while
This means eating a whole bag of Bamba while binging on “Just Add Magic” means we may not have any more Bamba for a good long while (plus, we shouldn’t be eating a whole bag of anything in one sitting anyway). So pour a little bowl and try to make it last. It also means that sandwich crusts and fruit that’s not eaten because it’s not the exact color and firmness of their liking is something of a bygone era. No seconds, no other choices, until plates are clean.
We know they’ll miss friends and family
For now, options are: FaceTime, shouting from the porch, sending texts to other moms and dads to relay messages. We’ll find ways to stay in contact.
(survival note: start a group text with your mom friends on your block for support. Also, write down all important numbers on paper and keep it somewhere safe.)
This is temporary
This will not be forever. It will be hard at times, but it won’t be forever.
We’ll have to be creative
We’ll need to find interesting, fun ways to keep our minds occupied.
We have to be good citizens
This means:
leaving services like delivery for people who need it most, like doctors, nurses, the elderly
on that point above, it will also mean some restraint when it comes to favorite snacks and foods
helping others who need it
helping the household: be nice to each other, clean up messes, help figure out solutions
being okay with the inconvenience of staying in so that we don’t infect grammas, grampas, crossing guards, librarians, teachers…everyone has someone they love very much who we don’t want to make sick.
We will get through this
We’re healthy, have had all our shots, and have prepared. We have what we need, and we will get through this. Let’s enjoy sleeping in and hanging out.
Need more info?
Here in Ohio, you can check coronavirus.ohio.gov. I also frequently check the Johns Hopkins map. You may also check the CDC as well as your local health authority.
For info on how to talk to your kids, NPR has put out this great (free, downloadable) comic you can fold into a zine.
The CDC also has a section on how to talk with kids about coronavirus, as does PBS Kids.
NEED STUFF TO DO WITH YOUR KIDS?
This site is full of free activities! Just look through the blog posts for downloads. You also get a bundle when you sign up for the email list, but take a moment to read a bit about digital privacy.
Did you read it? Good. Sign up below + have the following packet delivered to your inbox, for free:
2 coloring sheets (breakfast items, and a mid-century modern house!)
a weekly planner to help you stick to a schedule
a chore/”I helped” chart to help your kids stay motivated to helpful and kind throughout this period
3 simple activities with things you should already have at home
1 simple music activity (no conservatory training needed!)
recipes for banana pancakes, chocolate zucchini muffins, and tomato soup (fully recognizing that substitutions may need to be made…but most ingredients are basic staples)
Take care, and we can do this.
XOXO