Safe at Home? Resources for Self Isolation

This has been one heck of a week, folks. Within one week, our daily lives have been turned upside down. I started homeschooling (homeschooling!) my pre-schooler today.  BTW, that is a phrase that I never thought I would use!

I know that many of you are at home now and trying to figure out how to move forward. I have some tips for you as well as links and resources for ways to stay busy and productive during quarantine.

Please remember that I am here to help! If you need more assistance or specific questions, do not hesitate to e-mail me today!

Resources for Parents & Teens During Self-Isolation

Keep a Schedule

While it’s tempting to stay in your jammies and sleep in super late during self-isolation, it’s not a good idea. Instead, keep a schedule, get up at a decent hour, and get dressed. Try to stick to your regular schedule as much as possible. (Listen, I know our schedules are all weird right now.) For kids and teens, set aside a few hours each day for school or academic activities. (See below for more!)

You may have seen this schedule on the Internet. I loved it and made a version that fits my family. You can easily do the same thing for your family. Just a few notes – keep the schedule flexible and mix up activities fairly often.

Stay Sharp

This is also not the time to let your brain turn into a pile of goo. Some schools have sent students home with concrete plans for the unexpected break. But not all schools have done that! 

For teens stuck at home, I highly recommend Khan Academy. There are courses in all the main academic subjects and it is FREE. Khan Academy also has awesome personalized PSAT/ SAT prep. This would work for any high schooler. Here are some other links:

• 200 Free Kids Educational Resources: Video Lessons, Apps, Books, Websites & More
• 10 Great Free Websites for High School
• 18 Best Podcasts for Kids in Elementary, Middle, and High School
• Crash Course – short videos for many history and science classes

If teens are taking an AP course, use this time to start reviewing for the end-of-year exams. (Look over the new exam schedule and scaled-back exams on the College Board website.)

Activities

I have some more ideas to keep yourself and family members busy during our self-isolation.

• Summer Bucket List: Have Fun Safely – Over sixty activities that are fun AND safe!
• 11 Life Skills All Teens Need to Know – It’s time to master these 11 life skills that all teens need to learn before leaving home
• 16 Healthy Snacks to Power You Through – we are living on snacks right now. Find healthy recipes that taste great and will help your body and brain!
• 50+ Fun Summer Activities for Teens & Tweens – Some of the activities include group stuff. Obviously don’t meet in person for those. But do think about how you could manage group events digitally. Google Hangouts or Zoom work great!
• How to Conduct a Family Oral History – Talk to Grandma over Facetime!
• 9 Ways to Bond with your Teen over Christmas Break – While these are holiday-oriented, they can be easily changed to fit this month!
• How to Encourage Your Teen to Be More Grateful – I have links to some great activities for the whole family to encourage kindness and gratitude at home

Read!

Lordy, I love to read! Curl up with a good book and lose yourself in another place or time. Fall in love with books during self-isolation!

Most libraries in the US have extensive e-book collections. Get the Libby app and start downloading today. If you don’t have a library card, see if a friend or family member will let you use theirs. My library system even lets you register for a card online.

I have some book suggestions that work for teens and adults. Check them here and here!

Take Care of Your Health

This is a very strange time. The constant bad news can overwhelm you. Take time away from your phone and CNN. Take a walk outside. If the weather isn’t nice enough, at least open your curtains and try to stand in the sunshine. Have a dance party in the living room. Call (yes, call!) friends and family to check-in.

While we can’t do a lot right now, there are things we can do. And being able to do something can help anxiety and fear. Create that schedule I mention above. Find 4 recipes (with basic ingredients) you can make and write a shopping list. This post from Budget Bytes might help with ideas! Clean out your closets. Spread some kindness! Just do something.

Resources for Parents

• Six Sanity-Saving Tips to Quarantine with the Kids – from Happiness in Heart & Mind
• Top 10 Things to Do With Tweens & Teens at Home – Ideas from the Salt Effect
• Talking to Teens About The Importance of Social Distancing During the COVID-19 Pandemic – from the Enchanted Aunt

Resources for Students

• Virtual College Visits – from Parenting for College
• Everything You’ve Ever Wanted to Know About Online Classes – from The Olden Chapters

And please remember to wash your hands.

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Related Posts: Learn Anywhere: How to Thrive in Online Classes, 27 Hopeful Quotes to Give You Strength During Isolation, How to Reflect on This Strange School Year, Teacher Self Care: How to Recharge During COVID