Note: if this post sounds a bit odd, it’s because it’s a transcript from one of my live trainings in the single parents Facebook group I lead. I realized a lot of it could be really useful right now!
I’ve worked from home most of my life, while being in school, and homeschooling my own children who are now 18 and 4 years old. So the two most important tools that keep my stress levels down and make sure I’m present for my kids I’m going to share with you;
Number one, whenever things start to get tense or I”m feeling disconnected from the kids, we’re going to stop everything for a dance break. I have a few different playlists of songs that we both like, and then also one with movement games they can follow along with, like hokey pokey or there’s one called move like the animals.
I’ve been really amazed working with toddlers all the way up to 4th and 5th grade, how much songs and silly games actually change their mood and keep their interest, and once you’ve introduced some of them, I also have a set of picture cards that they can choose from a little mystery bag, and you can also do this with yoga poses, You can also set these up as kind of an treasure hunt scenario where you put them in different areas throughout the house, and they search and then do the movement or if they’re younger they can work on collecting the all and when you’re ready for a break you can do a few songs together.
I also try to take a walk proactively early in the day, that helps keep the day running more smoothly and everyone’s stress levels down. Have you noticed a difference on the days your kids get outside and move around versus if you’ve just been trying to grind all day? Have you noticed a difference when your kids get outside to play, or even just a 10 minute walk?
The second thing I do is have a basic daily rhythm that I keep posted to remind me what I need to be focusing on at different times of the day, and this is based around my energy levels and having active time to connect with my child before I attempt to get anything done.
I really like to have an hour in the morning to myself for coffee and writing in my journal, so I set things up the night before, 1-2 simple activity like a watercolor painting set and some flowers, or a set of stacking blocks and a few animals or cars.
The key is in the way you set it up, so you’ve basically started playing with it already, Kids will always play longer with a small set of materials that are set up in a novel way, versus just going to their toy bins on their own. It just stimulates their creativity in a different way.
So that buys me an hour or so to do my morning writing, and once that time is up and I’m ready to interact, that’s when I’ll put in a good focused half hour session of actively playing together,
this is when I’ll teach the new songs, or we play a quick board game or I’ll get into whatever activity they are already doing for a little while. This focused time fills their cup and makes it so much easier for you to get your work time in afterward.
If you’ve tried the “wait a few minutes until I finish” tactic, regardless of the age of the kids, you’ve probably seen how ineffective that is, right?
And then before I get started with my computer or calls, I’ll have set up 3-4 stations. Some of these are consistent and some rotate, and I keep a few held back for special occasions so I have something on hand that I know will capture their interest.
Basically you want a simple science investigation – some natural materials to explore collect, a building area, and a dramatic play center which can just be a few stuffed animals or costumes.
Okay so to wrap up: active (ideally outdoor) time, banking connection time to give you more free time later, setting up for morning the night before, and having spaces for their different needs (creative play, building, pretend / imaginative play, art, investigating)
Creating a visual daily rhythm and sets of cards with songs, animal movements, & scavenger hunts can help them work more independently.
Let me know if you try any of these ideas and if they are helpful, or if you have questions about implementing it. ♥️