We’re surrounded by uncertainty and disorder in our states, cities, and even our homes. This uncertainty has filled me, as I’m sure it has you, with a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. While I shower, get dressed (with a colorful shirt to brighten my mood), try to make the bed, do way too much laundry, try to do the dishes, and help the kids with homeschool, I find it exceedingly difficult to find balance in the world that we live in today.
Navigating my feelings about the pandemic and these radical life changes, while trying to keep things in perspective, remains a daily struggle. Each day feels like Groundhog Day…with a side of continuous children bickering and a roller coaster of emotions. And it’s not just ourselves that we have to take care of, right? It’s constantly trying to help our kids understand and explain to them why they can’t play with their friends or even go out to eat. It’s attempting to help your significant other process this situation and deal with them working from home. The list goes on and on. One minute I’m feeling positive like “I got this”…and then the next I’m overwhelmed and want to cry. I’m sharing this with you because I want to be honest with you. If you’re feeling this way too, know that you’re not alone.
While all of this is a struggle, there have definitely been things that have helped our family. Here are some some tips that helped provide us some guidance, even in the chaos…
Plan weekly dinners
By the end of the day, we are all exhausted and dinner is the last thing that we want to figure out. Thankfully, Vince has been awesome at laying out our dinners for the week. When getting your groceries, not only list what you need, but write out the days of the week and explicitly write what’s for dinner. Remember, they don’t have to be extravagant. We alternate super simple meals with those that require more prep time, but yield left-overs, throughout the week to help keep up with our ever-changing moods, lol.
Make a Schedule
As many of us are homeschooling our kids, I found it life-saving to create a schedule for each child Monday through Friday. It doesn’t have to be very detailed, but should have just enough that you and your child know what to do during certain times of the day. My children respond better to more structure, so here’s an example of Cruz’ (my second grader’s) schedule…
- 9:00a – Reading
- 9:30a – Journal about what they read
- 10:00a – Snack/Play
- 10:30a – Math
- 11:00a – Science
- 11:30a – Cursive Writing
- 12:00p – Lunch
- 12:30p – Social Studies
- 1:00p – Sight Words
Here are a few resources we’ve been using in addition to others our school has provided…
- www.Pinkcatgames.com (offers free games for all grades/subjects)
- www.kids.nationalgeographic.com (make a poster on an animal)
- www.jjmdesigns.com (cursive writing)
- www.education.com (offers worksheets for all grades/subjects)
Family Fun
Once homeschool is done, we either go to the backyard to play, take a family walk, drive to Starbucks for a treat, or play some card or board games. It’s important to try to relax and enjoy each other during this hectic time.
Date Nights
Make time for you and your significant other! During stressful times, it is easy to get lost in the madness. It’s important to communicate with your partner, share how you’re feeling, your daily struggles (big and small), and to try and do something fun together. Vince and I enjoy card games and have an ongoing game of continental. We open a nice glass of wine, play a game, and talk. Talking is key! I know it can be hard to find quiet time with a full house, so maybe set up dinner for the kids in another room with a movie while you and your partner have dinner in the kitchen. The point is to try and do something that reconnects you both.
I hope that some of these help, or simply provide a reminder that we are not alone during this scary time. I hope that you find Rosy as can be to be an outlet for you during all of this; whether it’s for shopping or a way to tune out the noise around you and browse. Please stay safe, healthy, and through all of this, let’s try our best to look at the rosy side of life.
XOXO,
