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The conditions of self-isolation change the daily routine, biorhythms and the density of personal contact in parent-child interaction. This transition is especially acute when there are preschool children. Kindergartens are closed, mom needs to work remotely, and the child needs a lot of attention.
Perfectionism in such conditions is extremely disturbing, there are not many options to choose from. What should be done to conserve resources and adapt to the new situation?
1. Accept uncertainty and find your oxygen
Do you remember how in an airplane — put on an oxygen mask on yourself, then on a child. Mom, how are you feeling? Before thinking about a child or a husband, think about yourself and evaluate the condition. You found yourself in uncertainty: fear and anxiety are natural reactions. It is important to adapt yourself so as not to discharge the anxiety on the child. How do you feel, what kind of sleep do you have, is there enough physical activity? Find your oxygen!
2. And once again about the mode
Time needs to be planned. The mode of kindergarten or school determines the rhythms in which the family lives. The most important task in the new conditions is to create your own regime. Planning takes away the fuss and reduces the level of anxiety. Daily activity, eating, sleep — it is better to bring this regimen closer to the kindergarten schedule.
In the morning — exercises, wash your hands and sit down to eat. We eat together, we clean together — what a big, what a smart girl you are! Then occupational activity: reading a book, modeling, drawing. In this activity, you can make cookies and then bake them. After free play activities — what do you want to play? An important rule: work out — clean up after yourself. If possible, take a walk or move, dance. After dinner, while mom cleans up the dishes, the baby plays a little on his own. And let’s have a rest, lie down? Calm music, a fairy tale — and daytime sleep is ready! Afternoon snack, play activities, and by 9-10 pm the child will be ready for bed, and mom still has free time.
3. Prioritize
At the beginning of quarantine, were there grandiose plans for general cleaning and culinary delights?
To dress up, bring perfect beauty, cook delicious treats and beautifully set the table — you will have to say goodbye to this impeccable picture. What comes first? Calm relations with household members, or perfect cleanliness? It is important to prioritize and solve everyday issues easier. Cooking the simplest dishes, using a slow cooker and a microwave oven, semi-finished products and a dishwasher will always help out. And maximum help from the spouse and children.
4. Mom, attract a child!
A three-year-old child is already able to get things out of the washing machine, a five-year-old is already able to set the table. Joint activities relieve the burden on the mother and involve the child, teach them to be independent. Let’s get things together! And let’s cook soup together — bring two carrots, three potatoes. Then household activities teach and develop. Of course, confusion can arise and the process will go more slowly, but there is no need to rush to a certain date. Do not set super tasks!
5. Delegate
If you are in quarantine with your spouse, distribute responsibilities evenly. Kindergarten teachers work in two shifts. Agree: before lunch, dad works remotely, do not distract him, after lunch, mom gives him the honorary mission of the director of the kindergarten and does other things.
6. Play and cook
Cook cookies together and then bake them. From salt dough we sculpt our most wonderful fantasies, and then they can be painted. Multi-colored beans, cereals and small items — baby, help mom put them in cups! And how many vegetables do you need for borscht, which ones do you know? Put the pans in their places — kids love these tasks! Fun game and lunch is ready!
7. Motor activity
What can an adult do with children? Music, dance, hide and seek, have a pillow fight or goof off. Good for both mom and baby. Be sure to open a window to ventilate. The game «We will not tell, we will show.» Game hot and cold. You can diversify it and include a developmental lesson — you can hide the letter you are learning now, or the answer to an arithmetic problem. Modify games for the characteristics of the child, including educational elements in the gameplay.
8. Play together
Review board games. Adventure games, lotto, sea battle and tic-tac-toe.
Observation games: find out what is white in our house (round, soft, etc.). And the pathfinders, together with their mother, begin to search. If there are many children, you can divide into teams: your team is looking for white, and yours is looking for round.
For the development of memory “The toy is lost” — the child goes out the door, and the mother changes the toys in places, or hides one toy in the closet. Tired — you can change toys, and it will be interesting again!
Speech games. “Golden Gates are not always let through,” but those who name … the A-word, colors, numbers … And let’s remember how much you know about domestic animals, wild and so on.
From the age of 4, you can play developing transformations. Draw any geometric figure — what does it look like? Following the imagination, the child draws: the circle can turn into a sun, a cat, etc. You can circle your palm and turn it into a stump on which mushrooms have grown. Or draw in turn: mom draws a house, baby draws grass, in the end you get a whole picture. A preschooler can cut out drawings and make a collage.
On the development of attention: there is a drawing, while the baby turned away, the mother drew a window to the house — what has changed, find the difference.
Modeling. It is better to knead plasticine in your hand so that it is soft. Create three-dimensional figures or paintings on cardboard. Knead the salt dough together and sculpt plot pictures from it.
Role-playing games: seat the dolls and play with them at school, kindergarten. You can go on a trip — what kind of suitcase will you need, what will we pack in it? Make huts under the table, invent a ship out of a blanket — where will we go, what will come in handy on the road, draw a treasure map! From the age of 5, a child can play for a long time without the full inclusion of parents.
9. Independent play activity
Playing together doesn’t mean all day long just for the kid. The younger, the more parental involvement he needs. But even here everything is individual. What things does the baby like to do on his own? Older children can spend more time on their own. Preschoolers now and then strive to create something or play games that they themselves have come up with. To do this, you may need some items, tools or equipment. You can organize space for them, provide them with the necessary props: the child is busy playing, and the mother has free time for herself.
Mom, do not set super-tasks! You need to understand that you are not alone in your new position. There is no such experience for ordinary people. There will be a regime — life will be normalized and time will be freed for oneself. Find your resources, your oxygen. Take care of yourself, structure your time and space, then life balance will be restored!