This is so great and I'm seeing lots of these schedules for toddlers and older kids, but does anyone have suggestions for a 6 month old? With daycare closed, I want my baby to stay active, but it's hard to think of activities for a baby. Thanks in advance!
LINDA LOCKE
232
Author, Public Speaker, Educator for 40+ years.
03/25/20 at 4:45PM UTC
Flag
Having stayed home with my babies I loved that age! They are so interested in everything. Just talk and explain the world to your sweet bundle. Building language skills is the greatest foundation there is! I also recommend music. My youngest loved Raffi at that age and actually watched a 50 minute video tape without stopping every day! https://youtu.be/f29jl4w0Uh8
Cynthia Pinto
47
05/04/20 at 9:27PM UTC
Flag
Thank you so much!! I need to change my settings as I am sorry I had not seen this sooner, but we are still home so it's never too late! Thanks again!
Katie Malone
1.2k
Social Media Manager + Mother to two daughter
03/18/20 at 1:53PM UTC
Flag
This is great. I'm trying to start each day for my kids with kid yoga on YouTube. That and the KidzBop dance parties are awesome for when you have to fix meals for your kiddos and need them occupied.
Kristyn Parker-Meyer
648
An imperfect person trying to be my best
03/17/20 at 4:52PM UTC
Flag
I love your comments underneath Linda. I agree, we have things available to us - quality time, downtime - that we don't typically have. It's a gift in itself.
Shauna Clark
37
Educator, Future Business Analyst
03/17/20 at 3:31PM UTC
Flag
Thank you for sharing this Linda. I am the same way with my oldest daughter. I'm an educator myself and trying to help my 6 year old with her digital learning packets/work is making me just want to pull my hair out and drink some wine haha! My mom has been a big help with creating a schedule for her each day by working on something for 30 minutes, then taking a break.
Anonymous
03/17/20 at 3:06PM UTC
Flag
I wouldn't mind a schedule like this for adults, too! WFH (especially with newfound coworkers, lol) can be difficult...
LINDA LOCKE
232
Author, Public Speaker, Educator for 40+ years.
03/17/20 at 2:20PM UTC
Flag
Having been a public school educator for over forty years and a mother of three, I certainly understand how frustrating it can be to work with your children on schooling at home. I personally was not very effective with my own children: one (at age 5) told me that I wasn't doing it right; one feigned helplessness; and one just plain resisted. So I get it! I have always marveled at those who successfully have homeschooled, knowing how much more cooperative my own were in a school setting than at home. However, with this new reality upon us, here are some suggestions:
1. Use a schedule. The one pictured here seems quite reasonable. Children will likely stick with something longer, when they can see the end in sight.
2. Intersperse harder things with more enjoyable ones: For instance, if writing is not a favorite thing to do, tell your child that he/she has fifteen minutes to write, and then, can play (an educational) computer game.
3. READ to your children EVERY DAY! Research has shown us that being read to is the single most positive impact on reading success. Even older children like being read to (don't you like audible?). If this is the only thing that happens in a day, know you have given the best learning opportunity there is!
4. Find joy in the small things. One great thing about not having to rush here and there with normal activities is that we have time to really look for the best in everything around us. It's always there when we take the time to actually look!
5. Welcome the opportunity to build family cohesiveness. The one greatest demise in our culture has been the fragility of family units. We now have a forced-opportunity to work on this. It is no accident that you have the children that you do. Pray into what gifts each of your children bring to the world.
6. Look for ways to be a blessing to others -- What a great opportunity to help this generation get out of the me-first attitude by helping others. It might be writing notes and drawing pictures for those in nursing homes who now have no visitors. It might be baking cookies for the neighbor. But allow your children the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others.
7. Give yourself grace. Teaching children is not a recipe. If one lesson doesn't go well, it doesn't mean you can't do this. It just means a lesson didn't go well. That happens to the best of teachers. Great teachers reflect on those failures to make it better for the next time.
I'm here if you need some more ideas!