Working from Home - with Kids

Craft time with a friend via Messenger while mom works nearby.

The new normal – we are hearing this a lot these days.  With rumors that school will be out for a while, parents are settling into the reality that schooling has now been added to a long list of daily duties to juggle.  Having the time to focus on your business and keep it afloat by pivoting into new realms such as online stores and take out menus or revamping manufacturing to help keep front line workers safe - all while the kids are demanding attention from their new playmates (their parents!) is a challenge to say the least! 

Here are a few tips from locals who are juggling the work/school/life balancing act. Hopefully it will allow you to refine your daily routine or change it up a bit so the kids stay engaged long enough for you to focus on your business and have that next innovative idea to get you through this trying time.

Routine! Routine? Routine…

We have read the many blogs and Facebook posts about getting your kids into a routine – and they are all correct – for some kids, but not all!   There are a lot of kids and families that thrive under structure and routine, after all they are used to the school structure but replicating that in the home is not easy.  Some estimate that six hours of time at school equals 1-2 hours a day for the early grades while the upper grades are 2-3 hours of study, so setting out consistent times for work/school lessons seems like an easy win until it is not..  Some families during this time of isolation have to modify routines daily to fit in the parent’s conference calls, zoom meetings and work hours. Kids are going through a lot emotionally and at times are not able to focus on a school task, so be somewhat flexible and allow some concessions to this routine.

“When you are planning out your day, look at the times when your kids have the most difficulty focusing – the times when the meltdowns happen – and work backwards” advises Andy Phillips instructor at Navigate NIEDS.  Choose the times when they are most focused and calm to plan school like activities and during the difficult times allow them to have free play, get outside and be active.  It will take a lot of unnecessary stress out of the day to follow the natural rhythms of focus and energetic bursts. 

Block out times for each subject or activity with breaks in between.  One parent gives her kids recess outside in between blocks of study – this allows them time to run around and you a bit of extra uninterrupted time to work.  Kids next door?  Coordinate “recess” at the same time so they can chat to each other from a safe distance.  Another parent stated that they set up the trampolines in the yards strategically so that when the kids jump they can see each other across the fence and have some fun but safe social time outside of the family.

Activities – What Works One Day May Not Work For the Next

Be flexible with your activities.  Each day your kid will be in a different head space – just like you.  Beth Lee, mom and co founder of a boutique tutoring company suggests embracing each day as it is and to meet your child where they are for that day. Bring your child into the discussion and offer choice as much as possible - do you want to read, a book or read from your reading app? There are many ways to integrate learning with domestic life. Cooking, for one, is a great way to teach fractions (halve a recipe, triple it, go nuts!), science (think about using yeast, or exploring what sugar caramelizes, or why baking powder has a base and an acid together) and basic literacy and fine motor skill development. I encourage parents to find things that resonate with their kids because if they are interested, they are engaged, and if they are engaged, they'll want to stick with it.

Have a list of activities and resources in your back pocket, if they choose to be online have a few suggestions of learning resources to choose from.  Try to not let them surf randomly online as you may not be able to control the content and it will take up precious time monitoring their activities.  If they are tired of screens have some worksheets printed out or let them write in a journal or read.

Not every moment of the day needs to be scheduled and planned.  When kids are in school they have a break from interacting with their family unit.  Allow this break to happen through quiet time or free play in the backyard – sans parents. This will allow you to have time to focus on work and build up their independence. 

Screen Time – How Much is too Much During a Pandemic?

As a parent I was hesitant to allow my 6 year old access to more then an hour a day of screens before COVID…now she has a varying amount each day from online conversations with friends and family, school related apps, shows and the all the rest.   

One thing to remember is this is unprecedented times and if you are working from home, sometimes you just need to get some work done and a show or an educational session online is the best option to keep them focused and entertained with little help from you! Save the screen time for work time and when you are not working, maximize your time with the kid(s) away from screens through getting help doing chores or going outside and being active.  Both of these activities will build up life skills and good healthy habits.

Part of my daughter’s weekly routine is to have a craft session with her best friend from 10 – 11am using messenger.  Each day a parent organizes a craft for the kids and sends it to the other parent to prep the night before.  School work is done before the call – we use the call as an incentive – and then they craft.  The craft usually takes a half hour then they free flow into other crafts and play.  Another parent suggested daily Pokemon battles - this also works their math skills and allows them to interact with friends. 

Online educational resources are flooding the social media channels with ads for a free month.  This allows you to try out an app and see which one is best suited for your kid(s) – just remember to set a reminder to cancel it before they charge your credit card if you don’t like the app!  I have gathered a few suggestions from parents and teachers in the region that are their go to staples.

·         Scholastics offers Learn at Home resources for parents as well as a Tech4Innovation site for STEM

·          Girls4Tech.com has downloadable STEM curriculum lessons for students 8-12

·         TVO Kids learning has resources for kids K-5

·         University of Waterloo’s Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computer offers learning resources including a weekly math challenge for Gr. 3-12

·         Reading Eggs seems to be a favorite literacy and math app for kids 2-13 years with various levels to choose from

·         Storyline Online is a SAG-AFTRA Foundation’s award-winning and Daytime Emmy-nominated children’s literacy website where famous actors read stories.

·         Dyson has crated STEM challenges for Kids

·        Go Noodle and Cosmic Kids Yoga are great indoor physical activity sites for the days that the weather is less then ideal!

A Local Connection

Many of the Campbell River businesses are pivoting and offering services online that can keep your kids entertained and a part of their after school activities. 

·         The Discovery Passage Aquarium is posting educational videos of the local sea residents – see their Facebook page for the latest installments and challenges.

·         Campbell River Recreation and Culture Department is connecting families with programming through their social media channels – check out the Facebook page for more information.

·         Many local businesses such as dance studios and musical theater are transitioning to online classes. Call around to see about joining these extracurricular activities.

These are unprecedented times and everyone is doing their best to figure out what the new normal will be tomorrow, next week and next month.  Be sure to reach out to friends, family, teachers and councillors if anyone in the family is struggling with the new routine and for business related questions, reach out to the City of Campbell River Economic Development team – and don’t worry if the kid(s) are making noise, we understand!