“Childhood is the one story that stands by itself in every soul.”
05 May 2020 – June holidays for the academic year 2020. Oops, no, what we actually mean is, the May holidays. Yes, the usual mid-year holidays have been brought forward. Why? Well, besides Covid-19, all teachers, parents and students are definitely in need of a break. Be it from staring at the screens too much during Home-Based Learning, or trying to juggle between teaching the kids and managing work efficiently, we all need a time to sit back, relax and breathe.
Yes, we have just crossed the half-way mark of the Circuit Breaker, and it is time for us to take a chill-pill and reflect on what has happened during the past four weeks.
Admittedly, there have been a number of inconveniences that we have been facing for the past few weeks, but these inconveniences will pass with time. Let’s not forget the main characters who will have a large bulk of free time during the May holidays. How have the circuit breaker measures affected our kids? How are they feeling right now? Is there something that parents can do to make their kids feel better during this period?
Let’s discuss!
Stuck indoors – what are they missing?
If you have been paying close attention to the social media platforms or The Straits Times, you would have seen children drawing scenes that they miss the most and displaying it to the public from their balcony. A kid from China was seen displaying her drawings which were about her friends, school library, going out shopping with family and other outdoor activities. A kid from Tokyo drew himself with his grandparents, all smiling.
Childhood is one of the most exciting periods of life and in this kind of tough situation, it is important for them to not lose their chill, and most importantly, child-like spirit. Your kids might be missing their friends, or simply be missing playing outdoors. With playgrounds shut and parks strictly controlled, our kids will be missing the trips to the park, soccer practice, their favourite restaurants and a whole lot of other stuff that they have usually done during their precious holidays.
Being stuck indoors is a severe restriction for children. The natural childhood tendencies are those of freedom and exploration. Kids might end up being a lot grumpy or moody now as they have to remain indoors.
So, how exactly can you deal with this situation?
Dealing with the issue
The most important thing to do is to let your kids understand why things are as they are now. The current generation of kids is pretty smart! You give them the right explanation, and they are going to listen to you and abide by what you instruct them to do. Tell them about the struggles that are going on outside as we seek to defeat the deadly Covid-19 pandemic together. Trust me, kids will surely be able to understand and feel sympathetic for those who are infected by the disease as well as the medical and other workers who are giving their all to fight it.
Another thing that parents should focus on doing is to keep their kids occupied in creative ways. We end up spending a lot of time brooding over the inconveniences that the circuit breaker measures have caused. Rather than doing this, why don’t we start thinking about the opportunities that we have now?
What are the activities that we can do?
Let your kids use this time to give expression to their creative talents and build their skills through a variety of activities. Some extra time for artwork is a good option. Read to your kids and get them to read books on their own as well.
Many of our kids are sitting for important exams including the PSLE, A levels and O levels this year. They can use this period for some effective preparation. You can also avail quality online tutoring and other effective online educational tools.
This is also the time to take out those board games which may have been getting dust piled on them for some time. Get around and have some fun with them. Introduce your kids to business-related games like Monopoly or card games that involve teamwork. These types of games help children understand how finance works and also teaches them important values of life such as teamwork and unity. Chart and follow an indoor workout routine as well for your family. Enrol for online workout sessions and make sure you attend the classes on a daily basis. A sound body and mind are all that you need to stay happy and focused during this period. For those who love spending time in the kitchen, why not rope in your children to join you in your kitchen preparations? After all, they should be made well-aware of the hard (heart) labour that goes into their meals!
A time for family bonding
One of the positives of this lockdown is that most people are getting to spend a lot more time with their families. Use this time effectively. Sit and speak to each other, play board games, share workout routines, let’s not forget baking and cooking together! Enjoy this precious time that you get with your family and bond with each other. It will help both you and your kids get past this period with the needed emotional and mental support.
To all the parents out there, let’s be with our kids during this period and provide them with the physical and emotional support that they need. Let us also use this time to reflect on our lives and try to become a better version of ourselves. This is not only going to benefit us, but it will benefit our kids too. May holidays (and Circuit Breaker part two), here we come! 🙂
Exam Smart Tips
Exam Smart Tip #1 – How to Encourage Our Kids to Speak Better?
Exam Smart Tip #2 – How to avoid carelessness?
Exam Smart Tip #3 – Establishing Routines!
Exam Smart Tip #4 – Let’s Read Carefully!
Exam Smart Tip #5 – Beating the Exam Fever!
Exam Smart Tip #6 – How to Eat Right for the Exams?
Exam Smart Tip #7 – How to Avoid a Meltdown?
Exam Smart Tip #8 – Taking Stress out of Tests
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