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Is anyone else afraid⠀ ⠀ that by the time this Is anyone else afraid⠀ ⠀ that by the time this lockdown/ shelter-in-place/ social distancing thing is over, we’ll no longer want to experience⠀ ⠀ 💫 the joy of Target runs and HomeGoods strolls,⠀ ⠀ 💫 the feeling of dropping our kids off at school and speeding away,⠀ ⠀ 💫 having an hour to ourselves go drink a whipped coffee, eat a hot lunch or read a book in the middle of the day,⠀ ⠀ 💫 how to apply makeup or wear shoes,⠀ ⠀ 💫 what it’s like to have a clean house that lasts more than 5 minutes,⠀ ⠀ 💫 going on a dinner date with a group of pals⠀ ⠀ 💫 and have suddenly fallen in love with homeschooling, lukewarm coffee and having our spouses and children around us 24/7?⠀ ⠀ No?⠀ ⠀ Me neither!⠀ ⠀ Happy Monday dear friends. Wishing you a week full of ease and many chances/places to hide from the people we love the most 😉⠀ ⠀ (now gently hum “I’m Not Afraid” by Eminem to pump yourself up as you start week 3 of this new normal) ⠀ Color the heart red if you’re feeling the same way!⠀ ⠀ #socialdistancing2020⠀
♦️You are not a bad person if you’re struggl ♦️You are not a bad person if you’re struggling hard during this time.♦️⠀ ⠀ If anyone is looking for validation in feeling all the emotions right now, I am here for it. ⠀ ⠀ Feeling gratitude for your blessings while also feeling tired, frustrated and wanting to run screaming out of the house are not mutually exclusive emotions. We can be feeling both at the same time. ⠀ ⠀ I LOVE my husband. I ADORE my children. I am GRATEFUL for a warm home, food in my kitchen, and enough toilet paper and hand sanitizer. ⠀ ⠀ But that does not mean that I don’t spend at least a part of the day dreaming of having my husband back at work, my kids back at school and my house to myself so I can take a trip to @homegoods❗️⠀ ⠀ Many of our lives have been turned upside down. Most of our routines just went out the window. Multitudes of parents have been thrust into schooling their children at home with no inclination or experience. Birthdays, weddings, graduations and more have been delayed, cancelled or just won’t be the same. Jobs, degrees and relationships are on the line. ⠀ ⠀ Now more than ever, we need to show others kindness and empathy. If someone is expressing that they’re struggling to you, please take the time to acknowledge the validity of their feelings. Please take a moment to make sure they feel heard and seen. Let them know that it is ok to be sad, frustrated, angry or just tired. Don’t just brush their feeling away or remind them to be grateful because it could be worse. ⠀ ⠀ While we don’t want to wallow in negativity, we can make this time easier by showing up and being there for each other and creating space for everyone to express how they’re feeling. ⠀ ⠀ Let me know below what has been the hardest adjustment for you. I can’t change things for you but I’m always here to listen!⠀ ⠀ #momssupportingmoms
One week in and I know lots of us are running low One week in and I know lots of us are running low on ideas to keep our kids entertained while our ability to be out and about are further curtailed.⠀ ⠀ Here are 7 activities that are fun, engaging and help develop critical thinking, hand-eye coordination and/or gross and fine motor skills!⠀ ⠀ ✨ Perlers- I bought a giant kit with perls, patterns and multiple peg boards and the kids are LOVING creating unique patterns. It can literally keep them entertained for hours.⠀ ⠀ ✨ Reading- We have a goal of getting through every single kids book we have in the house. We’re rediscovering old favourites we hadn’t read in a while. Any Little Blue Truck fans in here 🙋🏻‍♀️?⠀ ⠀ ✨ Knitting- We picked up a set of knitting needles and chunky yarn and we’re teaching both kids to knit (having more success with A than Z). We just searched knitting for beginners on YouTube and picked one video.⠀ ⠀ ✨ Planting- Spring is officially here and we are ready to grow. We ordered a bag of potting soil, seeds, grow pots etc and we’ve been planting seeds. A is treating it as a science project and tracking all the growth. ⠀ ⠀ ✨ Baking- So much math and reasoning involved in baking. So far we’ve made the world’s ugliest but yummiest cake, cookies, apple crumble, banana bread and more. ⠀ ⠀ ✨ Sewing- Do you have needles, scrap fabric, old scarves or bed sheets laying around? Grab a pair of scissors, cut them up and get your kids to sew pillows, dolls or just sew on buttons. For younger kids, plastic needles maybe better. For older ones, beading needles or upholstery needles may be best since they’re more substantial.⠀ ⠀ ✨ E-learning Apps + Sites- there is a TON of free content out there right now. From Audible offering free books, to Khan Academy’s free courses, to Scholastic’a free programming for kids of all ages and so much more- there’s something available for learners of all ages!⠀ ⠀ What resources or activities are you loving right now? Share below so other mama’s can find some great ideas!
I’m the essence of a reluctant homeschooler. In I’m the essence of a reluctant homeschooler. Initially, my husband and I thought we’d just let the kids do whatever they wanted during this time off from school- because just the idea of creating a schedule and getting them to be productive was daunting. A weekend and Monday spent in front of screens, with a lot of cranky meltdowns, constant whining about being bored and two incredibly exhausted parents made us realize that while an unstructured lifestyle works for some families, we’re not one of them. We white-boarded some ideas, did a Crayola haul from Target, ordered some learning supplies off Amazon and got to work reorganizing their playroom into a learning space. While I’ve shared a blog post with more details and a link to download a customizable version of the schedule we made for our kids, here are some suggestions based on our experience: 1- We broke their learning into 4 sections: Reading/Language, Math, Discovery and Creative. Mixing it up gives them something to look forward to 2- Incorporate lots of breaks so the kids don’t get overwhelmed or frustrated 3- Make sure the activities they’re doing are age-appropriate. We’re focusing on a lot of problem solving and creative activities for Z including cutting work, puzzles and alphabet recognition. For A, we’re encouraging reading and math with tactile activities like finger knitting and sketching. 4- Encourage independent learning/play so you get pockets of time to do what you need to do- whether it’s work or chores. For many a reluctant homeschooler like me, it’s a shock to the system to have the kids with us constantly. Take a break so you don’t break. 5- Have fun. This time will pass. The kids will go back to school. We will find our routine. Even though it feels like a shock to the system, take this opportunity to spend some quality time with your kids and savor this time watching them learn and grow. I’m sharing a tour of the playroom/learning lab in my stories as well as a swipe up to the blog post where you can download a customizable schedule to start creating a learning routine for your family. What activities are your kids doing while they’re off school? #reluctanthomeschooler
I am anxious.⠀ ⠀ I bet you are too.⠀ ⠀ I w I am anxious.⠀ ⠀ I bet you are too.⠀ ⠀ I was telling my husband that my anxiety is like a low-grade hum in the back of my head. There will be periods of time where I forget that it’s there but then I surface from whatever I’m doing and it hits me again.⠀ ⠀ I want to acknowledge my fear and anxiety because I want you to know that you’re not alone in feeling this way.⠀ ⠀ Life changed FAST. And we haven’t had the time and the space to process it because we’ve been doing whatever we can to get through it.⠀ ⠀ We have the opportunists- those selling toilet paper out of their trunks in neighborhoods (yes, this is a thing) or little baggies of hand sanitizer on Facebook marketplace for $10 each.⠀ ⠀ We have the scaremongers who are just blowing up all our chats, DM’s and inboxes with end of the world scenarios without offering to help.⠀ ⠀ We have those who are defiantly ignoring everything that is being said about the precautions we should be taking and hanging out in restaurants and public places.⠀ ⠀ Times of stress can either highlight our strengths or showcase our baser instincts.⠀ ⠀ Here’s what I hope we all aspire to be: that giant tree in the background with roots that go deep and shade that spans feet.⠀ ⠀ Be the one who is grounded and true- and help others do the same.⠀ ⠀ Be the same who provides shade in all directions whether that is a helping hand with something another person needs or just offer them a chance to connect.⠀ ⠀ Be the one who is prepared but also helps others who may not have had that opportunity to prepare.⠀ ⠀ We are physically isolating ourselves from each other. But that doesn’t mean we can’t connect digitally and so I want you to know that despite my constant low grade hum of anxiety- I am here to support you in the coming days, weeks and months.⠀ ⠀ Be safe dear friends. And be well!⠀ ⠀ And let me know in the comments on how I can help you get through the motherhood challenges that are surfacing! #momssupportingmoms
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