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As we start the new school year off with distance learning, here are some helpful tips to make things a bit easier for you and the kids.
Routine
Children definitely thrive off of a routine. Studies have shown that having a routine in place is great for people. It helps us gain a strong sense of time, it helps to provide emotional stability and it helps overall progress. Having a routine in place increases efficiency and improves overall consistency and discipline.
Today, more and more people struggle with Self-Discipline. This means doing what it is they need to do, regardless of how they feel. Creating a strong morning routine helps to combat this. At the end of the day, we are always trying to help our children move forward. We help them to achieve things we never were able to obtain. We always want for our children to thrive and having a strong routine in place helps.
Exercise / Physical Movement:
As humans we are designed to move, walk, and run. We are designed to push our bodies to the point of increasing our health. When it comes to distance learning, there are many distractions that can be taking place in a child’s mind. While they are trying to learn and focus while being in the comfort of their own homes. Adding exercise into the daily routine, the child has the opportunity for them to properly release energy. When kids do not get the adequate energy expelled, they turn that energy into other forms of habits and anxious behavior. I have found that a simple “hey let’s take the dog for a walk around the block” goes a long way in channeling their behavior to their benefit.
Seek Help
With so many things taking place in our daily lives, our lack of knowledge on something can throw us into a frustrated or anxious state. This is the last thing we need with so many other mom duties on the plate that need to get done. I believe it is important for moms and dads to not get discouraged.
Today there are so many resources that we have at our disposal. Take some time to find some help. Whether that is some simple advice from someone who has been down that path like I have with three little girls, or simply jump online and try to find some valuable information from your favorite sites. If you don’t have any just yet. Head over to my Pinterest board and take a look at some great pins that I have found valuable for myself.
Sleep
Sleep is vital to our health. I see the difference in my girls behavior on a daily basis. My husband and I can easily spot behavioral changes in our children when they had a rough night of sleep. This is why routine is so important. Since my girls were new borns I have instilled routine into their daily lives. When they were just months old my girls knew when bedtime was coming around just by the routine. They knew that once they had their bath time and they heard their bedtime music, they knew it was time for sleep. With discipline and consistency in this routine, getting my kids to sleep was just that much easier. If you feel this is an area that you are not paying attention to I would highly encourage you to go back and get this fixed asap.
Wake up Earlier
Having to get yourself ready along with the challenges that us moms/dads know comes with getting kids ready, is just too much as it is. This is why I encourage that you wake up earlier. Now, before you say no to this right off the bat, please read with an open mind.
In order to wake up earlier, you need to go to bed earlier. If you just sound off the alarms at 6:00 AM and you didn’t take time to prepare yourself by getting to bed earlier, then you are going to be one big grouch and the chances of you doing it again are slim. Waking up earlier has actually out weighed the extra 30 minutes in my warm bed. The amount of time that I have for myself without having to rush or hear kids screaming is invaluable. As a mom I get to take a nice quick shower, get dressed in peace and have my morning coffee all before my kids even wake up. By the time they are awake I am in a good zone and ready to tackle the challenges that we moms face in the mornings.
Healthy Food Choices
There is a difference in food quality. If you are not helping your child by providing smart nutritional choices then you are only getting in your own way. When my children have junk food from time to time we notice the change in behavior. This is why we try to limit this as much as we can without creating bad eating habits by banning foods.
Instead, my husband and I allow for our children to make nutritional choices for themselves based off of the food that we make available to them. This helps to build their knowledge by adding our own guidance and advice along the way. When kids eat food with little to no nutritional value, all they do is crave more food. Their minds are not able to focus properly on school work. Take a few minutes to prep a grocery list once a week and stick to that list when you go to make your choices. If you don’t know too much about this, we are here to help. Head over to my Pinterest Board and take a look at some of the nutritional pins for kids that I have found helpful.
Hydrate ALL DAY!
Water, water, and more water! I cannot stress this enough. This is something that my husband has instilled in us for quite some time. My husband has been practicing his hydration habit for quite some time and he is well versed in the benefits of drinking water and the importance that it plays on our over all mood. Where there is one season here; HOT. So, we have found value in drinking plenty of water.
We each have our own stainless steel water cups/bottles and we each fill up our water bottles every morning. As the day progresses we add ice and water to those cups as much as we can. Drinking plenty of water will help keep your body temperature steady, increase mood (avoiding those random mood swings due to dehydration), and keep your kids feeling full throughout the day to avoid anxious snacking. Plus, having their own water bottles means they need to clean them. Get them started on working on their teamwork early on. Washing their own dishes means less dishes overall throughout the day!
Organization
Having things in order is vital to a child’s mental state. When the area is cluttered with unnecessary things, a child’s mind tends to wander more than it needs to. More clutter equals more distractions. Throughout this distance learning experience, something that I have found valuable is keeping areas as organized as possible. I like to take some time the night before and make sure the house is organized and their learning space is clutter free. This not only allows for them to have a clean working space, but also allows for them to start a new learning session with a clear mind.
One Day at A Time
Don’t sell yourself short. Most people don’t know how difficult it can be to be a hard working mother or father. There are single parent households out there and my sincere love and empathy goes out to those who do this alone. You are doing a great job, just keep at it, implement these helpful tips for distance learning and take things one day at a time. Rome wasn’t built in a day, week, or month. Just keep pressing forward one day at a time.
