The kids are home, you are working from home, and so is your husband. Or you may be trying to find childcare for your younger children who cannot watch themselves. The term social distancing is the phrase of 2020, and new the standard people are abiding by.
You’ve ventured into the trenches and stocked up on all you could (snacks and toilet paper.) You bought the Vicks severe cold, orange and blue pills, and your face is glued to the news.
Let’s take a break from all that is going on and think rationally and clam.
Now more than ever take the time to spend with your family, the truth of the matter is your children spend more time at school than they do with you.
Here are 11 tips so you don’t go stir crazy in your house and get along with our “new normal.”
1. Take a break from the news
Right now, information is vital. Every 2 minutes, there is a new statistic, a new post, new information about the crisis that has affected just about everyone in the world. I know it’s hard but turn the news off. You don’t have to turn the television off but turn to something other than the news. Hysteria creates more confusion and sickness as much as the virus/sickness itself. If you continue to watch the news day in and day out, you will make yourself paranoid and your thoughts may become irrational.
Which brings me to my next point.
2. Binge watch a show
Watch your favorite show, catch up on the shows on your DVR, or binge-watch a show on Amazon, Hulu, and Netflix. Monday in between work and my hair I watched Containment on Netflix, very ironic. Is it bad that I am watching destruction movies in the midst of all of this?
What I am saying, turn your mind off for a second and relax.
3.Have date night
If you have little children, wait until they go to bed or do it while they are learning online. Get dressed up, go to a quiet place, and have dinner or lunch with your significant other. Feed each other strawberries while the children nap.
4. Have Facetime dates with friends and family
Part of social distancing is being around as little people as physically possible. If you have a friend out of state, check up on them. Facetime someone you need to catch up with or enjoy talking to.
Just this morning my mother called me. We talked for about 45 minutes until she had to go back to work. We talked about Project Runway and we caught up on The Real Housewives of Atlanta. Besides my two best friends from college my mother is my best friend, she called to hear my voice.
Note: keep away from negative people. Right now, we are all have thoughts, about what-ifs, and what happens now, you don’t need someone else in your head talking about the end of times.
5. Let your kids go outside
This might be a controversial one, but let your kids play outside. Let them throw around a ball or ride their bikes. Between school online, video games, YouTube, Tik Tok, and Instagram, that is a lot of screen time, their eyes will need a break. Just caution them and explain to them what social distancing means.
It is getting warmer here in Charlotte, and my son loves to play basketball and football. He would not be happy if we told him that he couldn’t go outside.
6. Ask your children what their favorite things is about school
Most, if not all, schools are closed, or they are beginning to close. With that being said, most parents are not certified teachers and do not know how to really teach a child. But we all have a basic understanding of the subjects we learned about in school. Ask your child, what their favorite part of school is and try to incorporate it into their day (not lunch, recess, or PE).
7. Arts and crafts with the children
If your children are younger and love to make things, set them up with supplies and let them go for what they know lol. Pull it up on YouTube, put down some newspaper, and have at it. I believe slime is still popular.
8. Play games
Taboo, monopoly, Life, Uno. This is the time you spend with your kids, have a game night, and turn off the television.
My family loves to play Taboo and Phase 10, we do not like to lose.
9. Make dinner as a family
This one may be easier said than done lol, but keep it simple, make a pizza. Have the younger children spread the sauce and cheese; you can make the dough. Make tacos, have the younger children put out the sides and condiments you are going to use. Make a salad for an appetizer, have the younger children wash the veggies, and put them into the salad.
It doesn’t haven’t to be dinner, have your kids help make a simple lunch. For even more participation, make brownies.
10. Clean out your closet and have a fashion show/ Spring cleaning
This would be the perfect time to get your wardrobe or house ready for the warmer months.
At a time like this, I would turn on some music and come up with new outfits. Maybe you love décor, and you need to switch out your winter décor for your spring décor. Most of us are too busy to dedicate some time to do that. Use this time now to do that.
11. Take a bath/pamper yourself.
This one always calms me and my fiancé down. Get a bath bomb or bubble bath, sometimes I use both, and just soak. Put on music or grab your favorite book and just relax.
Grab a bottle of wine and have a sip party with your girlfriends, or drink it in the tub.
Give yourself a mani and pedi.
Do a face mask.
This Friday I will be washing my hair, it’s very therapeutic for me. (and yes it will take all day, I will make my henna mask tonight.)
With class and grace,
Mya – Karren
Other things to read while practicing social distancing:
my hair journey: https://klassicallykept.com/2019/07/11/i-have-to-cut-my-hair/
hair journey update 2: https://klassicallykept.com/2019/09/12/hair-jounery-update/
hair journey update 3: https://klassicallykept.com/2019/07/11/hair-update-june-11th/
hair journey update 4: https://klassicallykept.com/2019/12/24/hair-journey-update-december-22-2019/ up 3:
I have gotten back into my reading. For an hour a day I read. Currently I am reading FAKE Money.
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/FAKE-Teachers-Assets-Making-Middle/dp/1612680844