Ways to Stay Healthy During the Pandemic

The lockdown is well underway and, for many people, this means there are children in the home 24/7. Playdates, school, and other social activities that let them release their energy, expand their minds, and interact are all on hold. However, if you use this time to promote family unity and teach new skills, you and your children will benefit immensely and stay healthy.

Take a Mental Break

Everyone needs time away to themselves. Now that you are under lockdown, there is nowhere to go. However, there is a way to schedule a time each day for 20-30 minutes to just sit and meditate. Meditation provides a way to restore order in the body. It connects the mind and body as one, creating harmony. If this is your first time trying meditation, there are online sites that offer programs to get started such as the 21 day meditation program.

Maintain a Daily Routine

Children function through a guided routine. They wake up, eat breakfast, brush their teeth, and then get dressed for school. It’s important that you as the parent maintain these routines as much as possible during this time so that when the lockdown ends your children will transition back easily.

Keep Up With School Work

With a whole day in front of them, there’s a large block of time that has now been voided. Thankfully, teachers are interacting with their kids through Zoom and on other forums, helping to keep the learning progressing. It’s a difficult burden placed on parents, especially for parents who have children in middle school or high school. The higher the level of education, the more difficult it is for parents to provide academic guidance to their kids. With younger children still in elementary school, another problem occurs: keeping them seated to focus on their schoolwork throughout the day. Do the best that you can to administer as much of the work as possible.

Plan Activities

Children get bored easily, so the day can get chaotic during a lockdown without a plan. A way to keep the peace in your home is to plan fun, interesting activities for each day. For example, on Monday you can cook together, Tuesday do crafts, and Wednesday teach with some science experiments. It gives children something to look forward to and will encourage them to complete their school work so they can have more fun afterward.

Work From Home Effectively

Not all parents are home free and clear of work responsibilities. In fact, many professionals still work their full 40 hours, only now they work from home. Try to coordinate your work hours with your children’s learning sessions with their teachers. For the rest of the time, have independent activities ready to go that they can do while you continue to get your work done. It’s also important to explain to children that you must work and make sure they know which times you will need to do this.

Organize Your Home

In order to keep your sanity, it’s imperative that you get your home organized. Luckily, you have the time. Take one day each week and pick a room to completely overhaul. When the lockdown ends, you will feel a sense of accomplishment and have a home that’s highly efficient and clutter-free.

Create a Park-Like Experience

Whether you live in the city or the suburbs, life is different. Trying to maintain some type of normalcy is critical to your state of mind. Thankfully, you can get outdoors by practicing social distancing. Take a nature walk or a long bike ride. If the parks are closed, turn your backyard into one. You can set up a picnic, pitch a tent, toss a ball, garden, or make some arts and crafts out of nature items you collect.

Interact With Others

Human nature longs for interaction with others. Luckily, with technology, you are still able to communicate with distant relatives and friends. Sources such as social media and Skype allow you to fulfill your yearning for human contact. While you can’t actually offer a hug, you can still see the people you love and keep in touch in a safe, fun way.

Keeping active and sticking to many of your normal activities will make the time pass while under lockdown and help your family stay healthy and happy.

How are you managing quarantine?