LIFESTYLE - AS the world comes to a standstill because of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, parents are faced with the difficult task of explaining to their children what is unfolding in the world.
Educating your child in a mindful manner is important because your child looks to you for safety, security and comfort.
With schools closing earlier than planned, a child’s routine is set back. This creates more disturbance in the life of the youngster.
Tips and techniques to mindfully engage with your child:
Re-configuring your mind - to set in a new routine
As with any change, a strong mind and positive outlook are essential to gain momentum and comfort at the same time.
Hence, set a new routine that works for you.
Perhaps, wake up at the same time that you would for a normal working day and set a similar routine. Too many changes too quickly can cause upset and fear.
Therefore, as a parent, it is important that you try to balance and keep to the routine as much as you can.
There will certainly be changes to the day, but developing a systemic pattern will help your child ease into this period of change.
Blended routine - working from home and parenting at the same time
Many parents by now have noticed how difficult it is to work from home and manage children at the same time.
What works well is setting a routine for yourself and your child - with breaks that coincide with each other. This will help to connect and be a part of each other’s day without interfering too much with work matters.
Social distancing - how does it affect your child?
Children thrive on friendships and are accustomed to play dates and interactions at school. Therefore, rapidly removing this sense of warmth and familiarity from their lives will cause uneasiness.
It is essential that you continue to offer your child a parenting-friendship, through sitting together, talking and playing games. This can entail story-time, baking, crafting, gardening and having fun.
Remember that although social distancing calls for being mindful of going out, this certainly does not mean emotional distancing.
You can rather use this time to re-connect with your child in a far more relaxed way, without rushing around with the school-run and extra-curricular activities.
There is positivity attached to being at home with your child.
Device time - boundaries are important
Although it may seem easy to hand your child a device, turn on the television or allow gaming for many hours - can you honestly say this is a way of responsible parenting?
The answer is unequivocally, “no”.
Therefore, when you are setting the routine for the week, allow for device/tech time, but do so responsibly, where there are clear boundaries and time limits.
Academics - can go on
Many schools have not had the opportunity to report on their learners’ academic progress for term one due to their sudden and early closure.
This does not mean you cannot assist your child academically while they are home.
A simple technique is to look at the syllabus that was completed during the previous academic year and use this time to re-enforce and build a stronger foundation.
This will work well for mathematics and science. With languages, you can be creative by using newspaper articles and comprehension passages and set topics for writing pieces.
Also, challenge your child with problem-solving questions and extend their vocabulary through reading.
In South Africa, e-learning is not accessible to all, especially with the cost of data and limited internet access.
Therefore, going back to simple teaching and learning techniques will work well.
Keep positive
Ultimately, the joy and responsibility of keeping your child healthy, happy and safe rests with you.
Through a grateful heart and positive mindset, you will be able to imbibe the same mood to your child - sharing wonderful moments of togetherness and offering love and comfort during an uneasy period.
Remember that you are your child’s superhero.
Krsangi Radhe is a neuro-linguistic programming practitioner, timeline therapist and women and children empowerment life-coach. She is also an educator, public relations practitioner and motivational speaker. You can follow her on social media @Sankalpa Coaching with Krsangi Radhe.