What to do with the kids

[KNog]

So i've been at home for 18 days now, I'm quite good at doing nothing and SWMBO has restarted her shifts at work following two weeks of self isolation. My concern is, fine as I am, and crazy as she will always be, how are the kids coping?

Three weeks of rotating between the garden, the playroom and doing random stuff in the house is this going to bother them? It's easy to say "they'll cope fine" and they seem fine but still, is there a psychological element I should be giving more thought?

[Peter franks]

It's a difficult time for everyone, I think that generally children will come through it fine but obviously it depends on their age/awareness etc..
I'm currently away working so not at home, its difficult because my wife is on her own 24/7 but we have decided to try to make this time as fun as possible and for her to give them her undivided attention and hopefully in years to come they will have fond memories of the time they were stuck at home with nothing to do !!!
I think in our busy lives most of us don't spend nearly enough quality time with our families so hopefully it will bring some families closer together, my only regret is that I'm not there to help them through it but I'm lucky to be working at all in these difficult times.

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[Mr Curta]

Kids are generally resilient and adapt well. We've met many that have been in isolation for extended periods and they have usually coped better than the adults involved. It's important that they have plenty of varied things to keep them occupied, but there's nothing wrong with iPad or telly time particularly if you can encourage them to watch and play things that are vaguely educational. Our youngest learnt loads from watching Horrible Histories and playing Minecraft when she was too weak to do much else. This time it's easier as they are all in it together and can connect and share experiences - there's no feelings of missing out on what everyone else is doing. Try to keep to some sort of 'normal' routine with treats like special meals or movie nights at weekends, it will help them to readjust when this is over.

There's an absolute tonne of free stuff that has erupted on t'internet to keep big and small kids amused, such as the Taskmaster Hometasking challenges. A lot of the stuff that has been posted in this thread is family friendly: https://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.p...aining-at-Home

[M4tt]

I agree with MrC - they are resilient and will let you know when they've had enough. That said, I think it's best to give them a bit of structure to lean on and to allow them to really enjoy the rest of the time.

It's only part of the equation, but personally, I've been taking an hour and a half in the morning and an hour and a half in the afternoon for 'school' and working through this year's curriculum with my two youngest. Most of it they fly through with suitable rewards, but every so often (and more often than I'd expect) you find a hole or something that they struggle with to teach or reteach. Followed by a real treat. We've been doing the Joe thing too and between the three (and firm bedtimes) there's a real sense of structure against which to lean.

That said, we are lucky that our house is on the edge of the Downs and so we can just take them out the back and see no one at all for several hours. So we've done a lot of foraging and now they are happy nibbling on hawthorn and dead nettle flowers, while harvesting goosegrass and nettles like pros. I've shown the eldest the basics of knapping flint and having cut and cleaned her own staff using flint she's keen to build a 'stone age' wattle shelter in a nearby wood.

[thieuster]

During WWII a lot of Dutch jewish families had to hide for the nazis. ('Ondergedoken' is the Dutch term, literally: 'dive under water') Anne Frank is the most well-known child who had to hide for the Germans. She and her family were together when in hiding. Many young jewish children were scattered around the country, grew up and lived with families who were strangers to them. Some had their hair dyed with peroxide to give 'm a more 'Dutch' look and were allowed to play with other children. Some had to stay indoors - up to two years.

After the war, a lot of research has been done on the effect of hiding. In general, most kids hadn't suffered from being 'in quarantine' (to use a 21st century phrase) but from the fact that there was a constant fear that determined their daily life.

[R0bertb00th]

Family version of cards against humanity is available and all you need is a printer

Great fun!!!


https://www.tomsguide.com/uk/news/ca...et-it-for-free

[Rod]

Our twin Grandchildren are.........

Captain Covid and Corona Girl!!