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Not saying anything new, but #Lockdownparenting is hard. I don’t have half the energy I had in the first lockdown. This thread is for parents in the same boat: I’m sharing 7 ideas that worked for us (w some #bilingualparenting ideas), and soliciting new ideas from other parents.
1) Weekly Planner: One thing we noticed straightaway in Lockdown 1 was the loss of weekly structure with weekends at home and no afterschool clubs. My then 6yo would constantly ask what day it was. A weekly planner with recurring weekly activities helped reintroduce some routine.
The large planner is displayed in our kitchen (note: we now find it easier to stick to 3 regular activities). We also use it for meal planning which helps minimise trips to the supermarket. Our 13yo is responsible for preparing a simple dinner in the weekend.
2) The Wish Jar: Not just for the kids, but for us too; we’re all frustrated because of things we can’t do atm. In the late summer, we were able to fulfil most of our wishes from Lockdown 1, e.g. bbq with friends, ice cream farm, fruit-picking.
3) Growing things: If there’s one thing that kept me sane in Lockdown 1, it was gardening. This may be why I’m finding this lockdown much harder. Still, Spring is not far: u can start sowing indoors soon. Watching things grow helps children visualise time passing during lockdown.
If you’re completely new to gardening or lack the outdoor space, I highly recommend radishes: each child can grow their own in an individual pot and they’re relatively quick & easy to grow (4-6 weeks to harvest). #Bilingualparenting tip: make bilingual seed labels.
4) Neighbourhood no-contact exchange: The same puzzles & boardgames quickly lost their appeal in Lockdown 1. Coordinating through our neighbourhood FB group, a few households put out old jigsaws, games, book & DVDs after sanitising. It was a great show of community spirit.
5) On Demand TV: At one point in Lockdown 1, we completely lost control of the time the children were spending in front of the TV. We were able to take back some control by pre-approving certain shows (some with an educational element) on iPlayer and Netflix.
#Bilingualparenting tip: In Netflix, you can choose the voiceover language in a lot of shows. After they've watched a show in English, I sometimes ask the children to re-watch it in #Arabic and make note of 5 new words per episode (verbally for my 7yo and in writing for my 13yo).
6) Video Games: We finally relented and got the children a Nintendo Switch in Lockdown 1.0. It was our Eid gift to them in lieu of a short family break, but this naturally meant even more screen time. To keep this under control, I introduced a ‘bead system’.
For each completed chore on their daily chore chart, they earn a bead. 1 bead = 5 minutes of gaming, and they can 'spend' max equivalent of 30 minutes on a weekday, and 60 minutes on weekends. You’d be surprised how quickly my youngest learned multiples of 5!
7) #Covid19 Time Capsule: There is a number of templates for this out there. We used this one, but made it a year-long reflection on the exceptional year that was 2020.
https://www.coventry.gov.uk/downloads/file/32470/covid-19_coronavirus_time_capsule
https://www.coventry.gov.uk/downloads/file/32470/covid-19_coronavirus_time_capsule
It was a great prompt to talk about our feelings, and there is something therapeutic about ‘burying’ some of the memories from last year (metaphorically anyway, ours is going in the loft!).
Disclaimers: This thread may give the impression that I’ve got it all figured out; I haven’t. I’m only sharing what worked – a lot of things didn’t. Also, what works for one family may not work for another + we all have different parenting styles (so pls be kind).
I hope you can find something in this thread that works for your family. Now, if you have an idea that helped you, please please share it.
