Homeschooling week – I don’t even know….. 4? 5?
What I do know is that we are in our 5th week of isolation. It is, apparently, the Easter holidays in the “normal” school calendar and we have taken that to mean that the children don’t need to have any kind of formal lessons.
They have stayed up late, continued to get up (not necessarily dressed) early, had chocolate for breakfast and watched way more screen time than is remotely good for them.
They have also been able to spend a lot more time outside thanks to the spell of sunny weather we are enjoying. We have gone for short walks round the block but mostly have stayed in the garden that is well on its way to recovery after spending the autumn and winter as a soggy building site. The seeds we planted are starting to germinate – some with more success than others. Esme is beginning to at least tolerate football as a form of physio!
We have also continued with the weekly theme days – North Yorkshire and Mexico have kept them interested and challenged my menu planning!
In anticipation of a return to “school” on Monday however, I have again rejigged the daily schedule. We are sticking with the up and ready by 9am, followed by some fresh air/exercise but then there will be individual short bursts of learning for each child whilst the other has some free time, both morning and afternoon. Grandpa will continue to conduct a Zoom workout three afternoons a week, and we will still try to get some more exercise in later in the day, after our evening meal.
The truth is none of us can do everything. Nobody, and I mean nobody, was ever meant to parent 24/7, keep house, teach adequately, work and cope with the anxiety and stress of a global pandemic meaning we are confined to four walls indefinitely. Added to the natural concerns we have for all our children – medical, emotional, psychological – it is no wonder we are mostly exhausted.
Even a little bit however, is better than nothing. Read with our child(ren), involve them in conversations, talk to them about COVID-19 and how we are feeling and how they might be feeling. This is the best we can do for our kids at this time: however uncertain a place the world is right now, they need to feel safe and nurtured at home/where they live. If we can tie some active learning into that reassurance and keep them as busy as we can without overwhelming them, then I think we are doing a good job.
We are all only human after all.
