Ideas for making self isolating fun

[PrincessFiona]

I know. That sounds impossible, but Zoe is showing signs of depression and Aidan is frustrated and restless. There school is getting out early in less than 2 weeks and then they won’t have the consistency of showing up for classes. They’re also bored with sandwiches and are insisting on ordering food from grub hub. A lot. I told Aidan no this week and he logged into my grub hub account and ordered Taco Bell from my PayPal. I was not happy to say the least, but we all enjoyed tacos.

With school ending, I want to focus on having fun and not just have them sit on our devices. If I could, I’d make every day a party (with lots of booze for me). Should I put up decorations and balloons everywhere, insist on game night every night (even though Thomas constantly cheats and everyone gets upset?). I tried ordering puzzles and games on Amazon, but the selection is minimal and delivery is June. Also, can you say price gauging? Zoe would enjoy crafts, but our WalMart doesn’t have anything good. Our craft store is open for pick up, but you have to know what you want. Maybe I can order online.

We have ordered badminton sets and large soccer goals. But delivery is June.

What are you all doing?

Kris


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[MrsK]

I think we are actually busier here than we were before isolation. My kids are younger so they are happy running through the sprinklers and stuff like that. I doubt that false enthusiasm and gimmicks will make your teens happy; my crew sees through it.

That said, if I were in your place I’d involve your kids in coming up with a plan. If Zoe wants to craft, let her research what she wants to do. Set her up on Pinterest and let her figure out what she wants to make and what she’ll need to do it. If Aiden wants tacos, have him learn how to make them.

My family gets really antsy when we have too much screen time. They all holler when I insist they turn off the tv but they all feel a lot better after we take a walk or play a game. So, ask your family to help come up with a social distancing bucket list. Write it all down and start checking things off.

You are a person and your kids are old enough to understand that. I’ve told my kids when I feel sad and when planning stuff is just exhausting. I’ve also told them that we all have to be “considerate” of one another which means that it’s not exclusively my job to clean the house and entertain them.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[ladymoreta]

I've been wondering about this, too. As much as I'm annoyed by some of the busywork the school is assigning, there are also good lessons, and I like the structure of daily non-screen things for them to get done. I don't have it in me to make each day magical, but I do need to step up my game, or their brains are going to be mush from screen time once school is officially done.

[MrsK]

I've been wondering about this, too. As much as I'm annoyed by some of the busywork the school is assigning, there are also good lessons, and I like the structure of daily non-screen things for them to get done. I don't have it in me to make each day magical, but I do need to step up my game, or their brains are going to be mush from screen time once school is officially done.

I have compiled a list of at least 100-200 things that you can do easily to keep your kids occupied. Just let me know if you need ideas. Once school ends, my plan is to keep basically the same structure. We will be doing worksheets and reading in the mornings, fun and games in the afternoons.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[OrionGrad]

I think we might keep this same structure during the summer, too. It’s been working well for us. I’m a lot less stressed on “school days” than I was during our week off for spring break.

[MrsK]

I think we might keep this same structure during the summer, too. It’s been working well for us. I’m a lot less stressed on “school days” than I was during our week off for spring break.

Yes. I just loathe the weekends when they sit around in their pjs and do absolutely nothing except make messes. I get that they need unwind time but I’d much rather that time were spent playing outside or crafting or reading or literally anything other than staring at a screen. But I also need a break on the weekends and can’t stand being responsible for entertaining them all the time. The other day someone told me that I was “The Chaos Coordinator of the 6-Armed Circus.”


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[PrincessFiona]

Well, we live in our pajamas everyday. My kids have school online from 8-3 so there is nothing for me to do with them. I miss the days when they were little and wanted to bake and do crafts and Friday family fun nights. Those days are behind us. Coming together the way I want just is not happening. I want to figure out a way to bring us a little closer during this time but it’s so hard because they’re teenagers. Everything I suggest is “lame”. So while you ladies are excelling at your routines and homeschooling and baking and crafts Ive gotten to the point of laying on the sofa with my dog all day in my pajamas. I’m lonely and bored and my kids are completely self-sufficient.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Ladybug]

What about your garden?

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

But isn’t that the reward of parenting? When your kids become self sufficient? I think it’s a sign you did well!

We do school M-F mornings. It’s a lot harder with R around but we are getting it done and he’s actually learning a lot. I’m getting burnt out since I’ve been homeschooling since January with no break but it’s fine.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[PrincessFiona]

What about your garden?

It’s still too cold.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[SoonerTexan]

What about cooking? Great life skill to learn and maybe they will be motivated if they can pick the meal. For Zoe a craft like crocheting?

I kind of doubt they are going to want to do a ton of stuff as a family at that age as well. Maybe pick a movie to watch together every once in awhile?

Over here, we are just focusing on school. After that ends it is going to be harder and easier. I was hoping to do lots of park/splash pad time, but that isn't happening. J does take them on daily bike rides and that has been a godsend. Cant wait til we move and I can punt them to the creek!

Excuse me while I go "find the Robot Trains with the dark blue character, not the light blue character"

[PrincessFiona]

I’m happy that my kids are independently getting things done. We do actually take recess at the end of the day. I bake with Zoe often on the weekend. She loves cake! I have loosened our technology rules and they are using Zoom etc to talk with their friends. Zoe even watched a streaming movie with friends on zoom the other day. I have no idea how. The only thing that irks me is I have to stay on top of Aidan. Also, Zoe confessed that she hasn’t done a single PE assignment since homeschooling. Apparently, their teacher has given them assignments like do 50 sit-ups. The kids are supposed to turn in a video of themselves doing the exercises. She refuses because she feels too self-conscious.

I miss being more hands on. When my kids were little, we did German homeschool two hours a day. It was fun. We played language games, did worksheets that I made and came up with skits. We took breaks from it sometimes, but overall, I loved working with my kids.

Last year, Zoe did not do so hot in school. I picked out homeschool stuff for the difficult subjects, and only asked her for an hour a day. Wow, did that go sideways. We didn’t get far.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk