We are getting some great ideas of what other schools are sharing with their families. Credit for this one goes out to Walden School in Willows.
- Stick to a consistent routine daily. Set expectations about getting up, getting dressed, and eating breakfast. (In addition to our care packages on Fridays, Orland Unified is providing meals for all students, this includes Lake Panthers. This program is open to any child under the age of 18. The child has to be present to get the meal. Meal pick-up locations are CK Price Middle School and Orland High School between the hours of 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.)
- Create an at-home “Work Zone” where your child can keep all of their work organized and have a designated space to focus.
- Limit endless snacking. (We know this will be a tricky one for some of us who have stockpiled granola bars!)
- Create a schedule for each day with your children to break up the time. Include “class time” when they complete school work, dedicated time for play, physical exercise, and emotional and mental health activities (we are working on gathering resources for emotional and mental health activities, stay tuned). Though there’s no need for a rigid agenda, all family members can be soothed by a predictable structure.
- Put a limit on social media. Encourage staying connected to friends but not obsessively reading news or discussing the virus online.
- Don’t have the TV on in the background all day. The worry for children will escalate if they repeatedly hear and view adults panicking or reports of deaths.
- For children without their own phones, set up a FaceTime playdate with a friend and let them chat using your phone.
- Dedicate time every afternoon to organizing and cleaning up to keep chaos and germs at bay.
- Talk about and plan for ways in which you’ll deal with family arguments or sibling rivalry.
- Make dinner together.
- Go old school! Have story time, play a board game, or try to learn a new language together during evening family time.