1. Choose your battles
Set a few non-negotiable limits and stick to them at all times whilst showing flexibility at other times. If we spend all the time fighting, the quarantine will be untenable and will affect the relationship with your children.
2. Listen to children’s needs and feelings
Let them talk about their interests and let them express their feelings, both negative and positive. This will make them feel accepted and valued, which will favour a climate of trust.
3. Share your feelings as an adult
It is important for children to understand that adults have feelings too and that they are not always positive. This will help them not to feel objections or guilt about their own feelings and will promote an understanding of their emotions.
4. Talk with your children and not interrogate them
As parents, we should not base our conversations with our children solely on asking questions. We must tell current stories, from our childhood, moments in which we did not do well, among other topics. The children get bored with the interrogations and begin to answer in monosyllables. As parents we must teach them to converse by example, paying attention to all ideas, opinions and feelings.
5. Find times to do something that everyone genuinely enjoys
It is very important that there are activities at home during the day in which fun is genuine for everyone. A child enjoys herself much more when she sees the adult laugh and participate with pleasure, not only out of obligation. Children have a great ability to read adults and if we do things out of obligation they will notice it and little by little they will lose interest.
6. Do not demand more from children than their teacher would
Their homework does not have to be perfect, the teacher must be able to know what level they are at to help them with their learning process. Also, children need to enjoy learning. Without positive emotions, there learning will not last over time.
7. Encourage independence in children and allow them to make mistakes
Children should edit their work on their own and send it to their teacher as it is. This will let the teacher know what they have learned and what they still need to practice. It is difficult as adults not to correct them, we believe that it is our role. However, it is proven that children have much more lasting and meaningful learning when they learn from their mistakes. The strategy is to remind them to do their best.
8. Divide the tasks among caregivers (if there is more than one)
Be aware of their abilities/weaknesses to support the children in what they feel most secure if the child requires it. This will help keep them from becoming overloaded and will help avoid constant conflict.
9. The Time-Out strategy
Time out is a strategy that adults feel effective in dealing with their children and is usually much more effective in order not to lose control of the situation as parents. It is important for parents to give ourselves a “time out” to calm down if we are upset and thus not react in inappropriate ways. This will allow us to have more assertive ways of solving problems and not react aggressively. We must remember that children are always copying models.
10. Talk honestly and openly with children about the current coronavirus situation
Children need to understand why we should stay at home. We must be calm when explaining it since it is a prevention situation, but children must understand that it is a measure that benefits the entire community. It is a good opportunity to talk about the populations most vulnerable to the virus and generate empathy, tolerance and patience, among other values.
11. Enjoy a lot of the time that has been given to us with our children
Let’s see this moment as an opportunity to get to know them better and spend time with them. It is a luxury that we cannot always enjoy.
Markham College is currently closed in accordance with the decrees issued by the government during the state of emergency. We are currently providing a full online learning programme to ensure that our students’ learning continues at the same pace and with the same effectiveness as normal. Find out more about how your child can join our exciting programme.
