As a parent in isolation, I am struggling with homeschooling and working simultaneously. My grey hairs are multiplying (with no hope of dyeing over them anytime soon) and though my ‘struggles’ are not really problems, like many, I’m feeling overwhelmed and worried. Still, during this most odd and stressful time, I can’t help but also notice glimmers of joy. There are beautiful moments of good blooming out of an otherwise grim time in our history.
I currently have a houseful of teens. Parents of teens are discovering the unique challenges isolation presents for this age group. So far, I’m surviving the outrageous amounts of teen hormones, constant snacking, sleeping until all hours and occasional eye roll. But in order to do so, there are a few reminders I have to give myself regularly:
I can’t count how many times I’ve heard “mom, mom, mom” in the last hour, let alone month. When we decided to have an only child, we assumed he’d always have plenty of interaction with other kids. We never anticipated that the three of us would be isolated in our home for months on end. This era of social distancing means that our son will not have in-person visit with another child for an undetermined amount of time.
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What are Montessori toys and why are they so popular? Montessori is an educational method that was developed by Maria Montessori in 1897. Her educational system is designed to put the child first and allow them to self-lead in the classroom. So, how does this educational style relate to toys? Children are naturally curious and learn through play and things that spark their interest. Toys are one of the first things we introduce to our children. There are tons of toys on the market that encourage children to develop social, cognitive, emotional and physical skills. Here are the best Montessori toys for babies, and kids.
While some of you are just entering the flaming hellscape that is home-schooling, my kids are starting week four. So here’s a little bit of what I’ve learned and some advice for making sure no one gets expelled or brought up on charges during this very stressful time.
Across the globe, parents are facing an unprecedented reality: Schools are closed, activities are cancelled and play dates are no longer an option. Many parents are also dealing with the impossible task of trying to work remotely while their kids are at home.
My husband and I had a huge fight this week.
And by fight, I mean the kind of yelling match that lingers in the air for days after, leaving everyone feeling raw, exhausted and regretful of their behaviour. The kind of fight that only happens once every few years.
We call it the germs.
You may be finding yourself with extra time on your hands these days – or, if you’re like many parents, you’re actually swamped with remote work, attempting to homeschool and/or exhausted from parenting your stir-crazy offspring 24 hours away with no break to speak of (can you guess which camp I’m in?). The year 2020 has been magical, yes? What a time to be alive!
We all know there’s no “i” in team, but as we’re learning, you can’t spell “pandemic” without “panic.”