PRO TIPS TO MANAGE AND ENGAGE KIDS IN QUARANTINE

COVID-19 has led to various consequences, one of them in quarantine, which can be put as unwanted summer holidays no one asked for. Technology has indeed supported many people to at least have some sort of work and study going on, but we are still restricted to our homes.

For students, in the first stage of the pandemic outbreak in India, while schools were shut down which remains the scenario right now as well, many online teaching applications came forward with free and paid packages to cater to all students from kindergarten to post-graduation. This was followed by many schools and colleges offering online classes.

Now in June 2020, finally as the official 'summer holidays' have begun, post several months of being at home, there are many habits that have been developed which can be unhealthy, while both parents and children can't help it due to the routine that has been formed.

First things first, plan your days with different activities that can be fun and educating at the same time. Teach your children during quarantine these important life skills:

L(earn) The Basics Of Money:

Learning about money and how it works from an early age is very important especially nowadays when kids are becoming smarter at a young age.

You can make your child financially responsible by allowing them to have money and then record their debits and credits in a chequebook. Take it as a mock bank account with a chequebook that can be made at home, and used as a reality check on how they spend their money.

Look Up From Screens And Help:

This is an essential one, not only will it make them independent but they also will realise how to humble and extend a helping hand.

These activities inclusive of cooking, cleaning, and organization is a great way to offer them a distraction from the screen time, but make sure you make it fun.

You can combine the above point of money management and offer them money to buy their favourite cereal or reward points which they can use to watch their favourite cartoon.

Baby Steps For Kids:

This can include dish laundry, cleaning and organising home. They can start with cleaning their utensils, helping you fold laundry and organising their desk and toys, and make their way through the full-fledged.

This insight into the real world is essential for their development in many senses. As they get a sense of what their parents go through while managing home and work, they tend to be humble and responsible.

Safety First, Knife Skills:

Cooking is fascinating for many children; they love creating new stuff especially when it is edible. This fun way of engaging them into something which gives them a sense of contribution, but at the same time safety cannot be ignored.

Thus, knife skills, how they use a knife without harming themselves while chopping and peeling different fruits and vegetables should be one of the first things you should teach them when it comes to cooking.

Love and Respect Elders and Parents:

Unlike the traditional Indian mentality, today children cannot be just asked to respect elders and being the 'cool' parents many people do not support that as well. So, introducing the concept of love and respect is essential and it should start with them loving themselves.

You can teach them about how their thoughts and ideas, values and beliefs matter and they should be brave to put them forward and challenge them.

Teach them how to respect their mind, body and soul and treat them with kindness and respect and how not everyone kind to them is good for them, who they should keep with them and whom they should let go.

Teaching children to respect elders is something every parent does and it is a huge part of many cultures especially the Asian culture.

While respecting every being and their backgrounds, beliefs and values and not forcing these beliefs and values onto others, they should be taught to express our opinions in a manner that is respectful to others. Appreciating their opinion might be different.

The Art of Being Self Confident:

Lacking this skill is essential in childhood, teenage and adulthood. You can build a strong foundation of self-belief, confidence, and courage in the children by encouraging them to take risks, learn more about themselves and coach them through the outcomes.

They will be able to focus on feedback as a result and not a failure, this train the brain activity will allow kids to be stand out positively, bravely and not depend on others for approval.

Keep In Check The Emotions:

Our emotional state drives our actions, it makes us feel confident and positive to achieve something. This is evident as in those depressive states, when we feel demotivated, depressed or sad, we avoid taking any action and the cause remains.

If children could learn how to Identify and shift from these gloomy phases to confidence phases, well, then there is no stopping them back. This life skill should be taught in quarantine by ensuring that you have emotional intelligence after all children are the biggest observers.

Speak Up:

To succeed in life professionally and personally, how you communicate, with your words and actions are very sacred and important. These are with communication, clear speech and quality of communication.

There are many factors related to good communication, emotional intelligence tops the list as authenticity, sensitivity, and listening create great communicators.

Now, these life lessons or life skills are fundamental in making your child's personal and professional life more sound, working on these with them is indeed a great option in front of you.