Resources for Parents at Home with Small Children
Sanity-saving apps, activities, and ideas for anyone who’s feeling overwhelmed
When I got the phone call that my son’s preschool and daycare would be shutting down indefinitely, my heart sank, then nearly sent itself into a-fib. How was I going to get any work done? I’d already spent two long days scrambling to put the rest of the term’s curriculum online. (I teach college psychology.)
Sure, in the grand scheme of things, this is small potatoes. People are sick. People are dying. And every day the news grows more dire. I couldn’t help but chastise myself for all the anxiety and dread I was feeling. After all, I was really just being tasked with taking care of my kid 24/7, right?
But nobody has an end date. Nobody knows for sure what comes next or how any of this will play out. In addition to parenting, you might also be struggling to work from home. And maybe you’re also worrying about a slew of other things that feel overwhelming on good days and absolutely terrifying on bad ones.
So I started to think about how I could try to help other parents out there. Here’s what’s been working for us. I hope some of this will be of help to you, too.
Make a schedule
Kids thrive on routine. They’re used to it when they’re in school or at daycare and they’re probably feeling lost right now — no friends to see every day, no circle time on the big blue carpet, and no songs about silly animals led by smiling teachers.
On our second day at home, I sat down with my son and asked what he wanted to put on the schedule. We worked on it together and came up with some things we would try to do every day.
It doesn’t have to be chiseled onto stone tablets and mounted on your wall, but having some idea of what your day is going to look like can lend a sense of normalcy.
Technology is A-OK
I’ve found tons of really great apps that I didn’t even know existed. Here are some of the best.
ABC Mouse
This one requires a paid subscription but you can register for a one-month free trial.
