Dear Friends,

Jennie here: For weeks, our family had planned a little “stay-cation” over spring break. It was going to be fantastic, filled with much needed family time and also time to catch up on projects around the house.

And then, things changed.

It became very clear after spring break was extended by 2 weeks we were going to have to add a little structure to our “stay-cation.” The kids were squirrelly (already), we were stressed (already)…so it was time for a plan! I do love a good plan.

Routines and structure bring calm to kids (and us!) since it’s good to know the plan. And the good news is, schedules can ALWAYS be tweaked. At the end of each day, Reilly and I have been sitting down and going over the schedule. “What worked/what didn’t about today?” “What do we want to try for tomorrow?”

Just as an idea, I’ve included the 2nd version of our schedule and also a schedule from our friend Owen in Colorado.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At some point, our schedule will change to include academic time. But not this week.

For now, let’s start and plan the daily routine with kids at home, so life can be simple and calm.

Here’s a sample schedule from Claire:

Wake up routines, including snuggling together.

Breakfast together: Kids can learn to cook & they like it. Invent new meals together. My family often eats leftover dinners for breakfast, since it’s fast and already prepared. And breakfast for dinner is downright fun and silly!

Outside time: water the plants, walk the dog, get some good sunshine on your skin for vitamin D, which supports your immune system.

Academic Time: read together, listen to books on CD or audible, draw pictures about what your listening to, sculpt with Model Magic to tell a story.

Dress up to act out a story, dance a story, sing a story. The possibilities are endless.

One of my favorite stories is Fortunately/Unfortunately. This can evolve into self-made stories of The Good Thing Was/The Bad Thing Was… each person adds to the story which never existed until they thought it up. It’s powerful for kids to invent.

Outside Time: Outside again! The focus in this outside time will be science/nature/engineering/math, or STEM tasks: Dig in the dirt.

Paint the fence with water.

Chalk on the sidewalk (color blending, what happens when you add water?, creative art…)

Mud, sand water, bubbles, all of these sensory activities are soothing for our sensory system, and incredibly effective science tools.

And don’t forget boxes! All of those Amazon boxes can be put to use in a Creation Station. What will your kids invent?

And Mother Nature is about to put on one of the loveliest shows just for us, called spring! Trees are blossoming, and plums and peaches and all kinds of fruit will result. Look at the birds returning! We have a Mrs. Wren who likes to build her nest in our outside art shelf, so for the duration, we are very quiet when getting markers and crayons off the shelf. Not to mention the flowers and the bees that pollinate…..we have a classroom at our fingertips! How lucky to have time to savor.

Plant herbs! My grandkids have mint and rosemary and thyme to step on and brush up against as they swing. Smells make a memory. They can pinch them and eat them and snip them to help with dinner. Rosemary chicken is one of our family’s favorite dinners! Maybe start a Victory Garden at your house!

Lunch time: Teddy Bear picnics, outdoor picnics in a tent, lunch on a quilt in the family room as we watch a Scholastic story before rest time….

Rest Time!This time will be an incredible reset for you and your kids. They can read to themselves or play Legos or dolls or draw. In their room, alone. How do you know who you are, unless you spend time with your own self? You will initially get resistance, but eventually they will get up refreshed and incredibly ready to create.

Snack Time: silly snacks are fun but also important to maintain blood sugar and the good moods that come from a balanced blood sugar!

Chore Time: adults think of chores as boring, but kids don’t. They think it’s cool to vacuum, use the leaf blower, sweep, wash the car, etc. These are life skills, so let kids help while they think it’s powerful & fun, and by the time they are teens, it’s just the way we do things in our house.

Outside Time: yes, again, because movement is the language of the brain! This time the focus is on gross motor, with bikes/skates/swings/ball games/ jump ropes, etc. being the goal. Wheelbarrows are great

Quiet Time: after all that running and climbing, kids will need to calm so the witching hour does not make an appearance in your house. Drink water, put veggies on toothpicks and have a cocktail party snack.

Put on classical music, lower the lights, light a candle and it’s time for Magna tiles, puzzles, block building, drawing, Old Maid, use bread dough to sculpt and then use it for dinner. Kids can help with dinner prep at this time too. This could also be the last call for iPads and TV time so brains can sleep well.

Dinner:eat outside on the picnic table, pick a theme for dinner like cultural foods like Mexican food or French food….what about fondue and vegetables? Cook together and savor!

Tuck the house in bed, and then ….

Bedtime routine: Bath, PJs, teeth brushed, books, snuggling. Maybe 30 minutes of reading time for older kids. Kids need 10-12 hours of sleep each night!  And some special nights, perhaps we could camp out in a tent and eat smores and watch a Disney movie.

Mr. Rogers tells the story that in times of worry or stress, his mother always said “Look for the helpers. There are always helpers.”

Let us be the helpers.Is there an elder down the street that needs their grass cut? Do they have enough staples of food? Kids can help donate clothes and toys and books they no longer need. Cleaning out closets of unused blankets and sheets that can be donated to homeless shelters? Spring cleaning at its finest. Do animal shelters need someone to pet and play with dogs and cats? Wash hands coming and going and share the love.

We hope in the midst of everything, you all can find moments to cherish extra time with your kids.

I had someone say to me not too long ago, ‘when you are the parent of young children: the days are long, but the years are fast.’

Snuggle with your kids and let us know if we can support you.

Best,

Jennie and Claire