Opinion: Schools are closed for the next three weeks. Now what?

Look, it’s going to be a tough couple of weeks in Hamilton with March Break plans thwarted by the outbreak of COVID-19 and schools closed in the weeks after that.

Look, it’s going to be a tough couple of weeks in Hamilton with March Break plans thwarted by the outbreak of COVID-19 and schools closed in the weeks after that.

Parents are scrambling to figure out how to work and care for their children. Cabin fever is a thing and is particularly potent in young ones.

I don’t pretend to know much about parenting — in fact, I’m totally clueless. But as a parent of two children under the age of five, I’m staring down the barrel of these next couple weeks with extreme trepidation and I know I’m not alone.

So in an effort to calm myself, I’ve sat down and tried to figure out how to keep my family busy and safe. Other families might find this to be a helpful exercise too.

Videos

Read More

Read More

LEARN MORE

LEARN MORE

LEARN MORE

LEARN MORE

Let’s not forget, we’re all in this together and we welcome any further suggestions our readers might have to help families cope.

So what are some of my ideas to keep safe, keep sane, be productive and still make the most of a bad situation?

Stock up on craft supplies
Craft projects are a great way to keep little hands busy and happy. Stickers, paints, markers, crayons, slime, beads, bingo dabbers and yes, even glitter. Pick your poison. It will get messy and you’ll find glitter everywhere until Christmas 2030 but the kids will love it, they’ll be creative and maybe it can buy you some time to have a coffee, or a glass of wine, or get some work done, or have a glass of wine. Even chalk for drawing on the driveway will get them flexing that artistic side of their brain and get them outside for some fresh air. *Fingers crossed the weather holds out.*

Games and puzzles
Here are some other activities that will get kids thinking creatively and keep those hands busy. For younger kids, this can be difficult but there are some games (Acorn Soup, Feed the Woozle etc) that are geared towards younger children and they are adaptable as they grow older. For those who don’t want to spend that kind of money on these games (they run upwards of $30), here’s a little game I learned from my dearly departed Grandma Kay. It’s a penny toss! Take two pie plates, place one on each side of the room. Grab some pennies or whatever coins or tossable things you have (buttons, paper clips, cotton balls, etc) and the kids take turns trying to get the pennies in the pie plates. Make it a tournament! Cheap, and fun, I can assure you.
Puzzles can be tricky too for younger kids but again, even just futzing around with the pieces can keep them busy. Along these lines, have your kids make their own puzzles with construction paper they draw a picture on and you cut up the pieces for them.

Get outside, even if it’s just the backyard
Dig out the soccer balls and bubbles and maybe a kite or two. Kids need the exercise and fresh air (and so do you!) If you have a dog, play fetch, take them for a walk around the neighbourhood and say hello to your fellow cooped up citizens from a distance. We’re all urged to keep away from big groups and big gathering places but we can still go outside and enjoy the sites of our green spaces and neighbourhoods. We have beautiful walking trails through the city and lovely parks and though it’s that time of year where everything is pretty muddy, get out and make use of them and try not to let the mess get to you. That’s what hoses and washing machines are for, right?

Cooking and baking
Now might be a good time to get the kiddies into the kitchen. Once again, this might be difficult to do with really little ones but perhaps designating them as dishwashers is a solution: it’s like waterplay but they’re inadvertently being productive. Just be sure to keep the breakables on the side. Getting kids in the kitchen is a great way to expose this to the culinary arts and keep them engaged and creative. You can share some of your own family recipes or create some new ones. Either way, getting kids in the kitchen safely is passing on a valuable life skill and being productive together.

Make a movie
This one’s a little out there but it could probably take up the better part of a day or two, especially if you have older kids. We all have video cameras on our devices so why not put them to good use? Have the kids come up with a script, a play, puppet show, song and dance or whatever. Get them to design costumes, a set and play with lighting. And then film it. Again, it’s creative, engaging and fun for them (and you!) and you’ll be preserving the memory of it in a video. If you have older children and the software to do so, let them edit and add special effects or music to their creation. The possibilities are endless and hopefully time-consuming and fun.

Other things I think might come in handy for the next little while:

Lego – lots of it
Disney+ subscription
Fort supplies – blankets, sheets, snacks, flashlight
Wine/Coffee
Compassion

Stay safe, everyone and be kind to others. We’re all going through this difficult time together. Let’s not lose sight of that.