I know you can all relate. With the arrival of COVID-19, so many of us have experienced a major shift in our daily lives. This is not a complaint. At least not for us. Life is different. It is hard. But we are safe, and healthy. And I know that this is not true for so many—those who have contracted COVID-19, those on the front lines, those who have lost jobs, those who are isolated and lonely. COVID sucks.
I already work from home, and I have been for the past 7 years. So, in that regard, life has really been status quo. We had already decided to take Brooks out of preschool, prior to the outbreak. So that wasn’t a big change for us, either.
Where life has become challenging is in my ability to manage my workload, while still taking care of the little ones. My workload has increased exponentially with the onslaught of COVID. Add to that the fact that Jack likes to wake up at 4:30 or 5am, and his naps have been crap, and I am trying to get so much work done, in less time than ever. I am overwhelmed. Did I mention that COVID sucks?
Hence the reason why have been noticeably absent from the blog as of late. I just haven’t had the time to write quality blog content. Hopefully, as things calm down here, that will change.
COVID-19 has also meant finding new ways to keep the boys entertained, while staying inside. A few strategies include:
- Trying to create and stick to a schedule and rotation of activities for the boys to avoid having days that just blend together into one big blur.
- A few new interactive toys that really keep the little ones busy:
- Water Table This has been so helpful as the weather gets increasingly warmer. The swimming pool won’t be an option for us anytime soon, if at all this summer. But a fun, simple water table lets the boys splash around, and cool off.
- Melissa and Doug Giant Blocks At first I wasn’t sure that these blocks were a great idea. But the boys LOVE them, and play with them often.
- Water Wow These water painting pads are a great, mess-free way to let little ones paint. They come with a small brush that you fill with water, that allow little hands to paint for quite a while. The greatest part? They dry, and the images appear, meaning that your kids can paint them over, and over again!
- A few new activities to keep them busy, and active for a bit:
- Scavenger hunts: Check out the Melissa & Doug website for some cool, printable scavenger hunts for your little ones.
- Obstacle courses: Use things from around the house to create a fun obstacle course for your little ones. We used couch cushions, a foam roller, a pop-up tent, and made “lily-pads” from paper. Quick and fun!
- Dance Parties: turn on some Pandora, KidzBop or your favorite playlist and let loose! I think this is our favorite activity right now.
- Other ways to help break up the day:
Movies- Change of scenery: we spend time in different parts of the house each day. One day we might spend our day in the living room, while the next day we might hang out in the family room. Other days we may hunker down in our bedroom.
- Walks: If you can…try and get out for a little fresh air each day/
- Drives: This sounds silly, but even riding together to get groceries offers a bit of relief for the cabin fever we are experiencing.
This is nothing spectacular, but it is simple, and it is helping make COVID bearable.
So, what have you been doing during this quarantine? How has life changed? What have you been doing to keep yourself occupied?
Are you working from home and looking for tips to manage parenthood and work? Check out these articles:
