#COVID19: Homeschooling With A Side of Fun!
The kids are home. The kids are home.
The coronavirus pandemic has brought the world to a standstill. Covid-19 is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. According to WHO, the virus is transmitted through direct contact with respiratory droplets of an infected person (generated through coughing and sneezing). An individual can also be infected from touching surfaces contaminated with the virus and touching their face (eyes, nose, mouth).
The spread of Covid-19 can be slowed down or prevented by taking precautionary measures such as:
Staying home when sick. If it become unbearable please call your local health care center.
Making sure to cover your mouth and nose while coughing or sneezing with a flexed elbow or tissue and disposing of the tissue right away. (As shown below by my almost three year old son).
3. Washing your hands OFTEN with soap and running water. It’s suggested washing hands for 20 seconds. This includes the back of hands, in-between fingers and finger nails.
4. Cleaning all touched surfaces frequently from door knobs to countertops.
A worldwide precautionary measure which has been put in place is social isolation which can last up to 4 weeks or more. This includes our kids being home and we must keep them busy, busy, busy. For Aaron, i’ve mixed the day with homeschooling and playtime.
Aaron wakes up around 7/7:30, the first thing he asks for is a cup of water followed by his gummies (vitamins). We rotate between Zarbees Naturals Children’s elderberry immune support and OLLY Kids Immunity. We then either take a bath, eat breakfast and start our school work or we eat breakfast, start our school work then take a bath. It all depends on Aaron’s mood when he wakes up. Parents, we want to make sure we get the school work done without any tantrums. Oh, I make sure to put Aaron in an ironed, cute look instead of home clothes.
My son spends the first two hours of his day learning. I’m thankful to Aaron’s school for emailing parents a printable version of his monthly school curriculum which we’ve been working on daily but guess what? He finished all his work already. LOL. But I will be re-printing it as we will be going over it again. I have also created similar versions to the school curriculum which Aaron has also been enjoying learning from.
In between breakfast, schoolwork and lunch, Aaron’s eats a few snacks from fruits and vegetables to his favourite cookies (Oreos). He’ll usually request a Capri Sun but throughout the day, his cup of water is never left empty as we keep filling it up.
Around 12:30PM, we start preparing lunch which varies depending on the day from fries alongside sausage and broccoli to Jollof rice.
Aaron doesn’t NAP when he’s home. I’m still surprised they get him to nap in school because he’s up from when he wakes up until bedtime.
After lunch, my son will watch a bit of TV followed by painting/coloring and reading a book of his choice. He usually asks to play football followed by watching a few educational shows on YouTube.
Let me not forget our dance off. We always have a dancing sessions. LOL
Around 5PM, the relaxing of the day begins meaning, it’s time to clean up all the toys and prepare for dinner then his evening bath. After his bath, Aaron gets to either watch a bit of TV or choose a show of his choice on the Youtube which is usually anything Spiderman or Blippi. Depending on what time he’s bathed determines how long he’ll have to watch his favourite shows. The max is usually 40 minutes then I switch it off and it’s time to call it a day.
Aaron watches his hands numerous times throughout the day.
To be quite honest, the first three days have been smooth sailing. Prior to Aaron starting since just after turning two, he was already on a daily routine as though he was in school so it’s been easy getting back into a routine.
Parents, patience is a MUST. Please, make sure to get your child on a daily schedule. Even though school is out, you don’t want them to lose focus and fall of their usual schedule. Eventually, school will be back in session and we want to make sure our children are still in routine.
Good luck. You got THIS!