FORCED HOMESCHOOLING
America’s schools are closed to help slow the spread of the coronavirus. While schools are scrambling to create long distance learning programs to ensure children don’t fall behind too far academically, parents are left to fill the void.
As the father of two young boys I feel obligated to create a structured environment that exercises their minds and bodies. Millions of parents are in that same predicament and it can be a daunting challenge.
While replicating exactly what teachers, administrators and support staff create during the school day is impossible, parents can provide an environment of academic enrichment, physical activity and creativity that allows children to grow. For parents who are fortunate enough to work remotely, creating a routine for your children to embrace is essential if the demands of juggling professional responsibilities are going to be met. Below is a suggested daily list of activities for younger children from mommyhood101.com.
| BEFORE 9:00 AM | Wake Up! | Make your bed, eat breakfast, brush teeth, get dressed |
| 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM | Outdoor Time | Family walk or outdoor play |
| 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM | Academic Time | No electronics! Reading, homework, study, puzzles, journal |
| 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Creative Time | Creative play, drawing, Legos, crafts, music, cooking, baking |
| 12:00 PM – 12:30 PM | Lunch | |
| 12:30 PM – 1:00 PM | Chores | Clean room, put away toys, take out garbage, pet care |
| 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM | Quiet Time | Reading, naps, puzzles, yoga |
| 2:30 PM – 4:00 PM | Academic Time | Electronics OK! Educational games, online activities, virtual museum tours |
| 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM | Outdoor Time | Family walk or outdoor play |
| 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM | Dinner Time | Family dinner, help with clean-up and dishes |
| 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM | Bath Time | Bath or shower |
| 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM | Reading/TV Time | Relaxing before bedtime |
| 9:00 PM | Bedtime! | Put on PJs, brush teeth, clothes in laundry |
Right now, we don’t know how long schools will be closed. We don’t even know what will happen with the summer camps that will supposedly follow. So now is a time for ingenuity and a sense of purpose. There are many suggestions out there that parents can adopt. Nobody is under an obligation to rigidly adhere to any of these plans, but they offer a helpful framework.
One week into this unprecedented experience I have gained an even greater appreciation for teachers, who have the most important and underappreciated job in our society – helping to make our children become successful adults. When normalcy returns after the threat of the coronavirus recedes, we should not only offer teachers a heartfelt thanks for what they do, but recommit to make sure our schools have the funding and support they need going forward.