Whether you saw it coming or the coronavirus crisis came as a shock to you, one thing is for sure: there are a lot of other parents who feel the same way.
And aside from the anxiety brought by the virus, other challenges keep coming the parents' way. These include working from home, making sure there is enough supply, keeping kids busy, and on top of that managing the learning of a preschooler.
Importance of Preschool
Even though kids only seem to be running around and playing in the preschool, it is not always the case. Studies have shown that preschool opens a lot of learning opportunities for children.
Play is not always just "play" when a kid is in preschool. It is because kids are also taught different things during these times. It is also through preschool that children can enhance their communication skills. That is when they talk to classmates, teachers, and other people in school.
How to Manage Pre-schoolers at Home?
Since schools are closed, it is now the task of the parents to make sure that their child will not be left behind in learning. Here are some of the ways to manage the pre-schoolers who are at home and make sure they are making the most out of the quarantine period:
1. Ask the schedule that kids follow from their preschool teacher.
To ensure that kids do not feel that they are having too many drastic changes in their environment, one way to solve this is through following the schedule that they have at school before the pandemic. Once you think you can follow this schedule, you may tweak it by adding other activities that you may do while at home.
2. Make everything visual.
A good way for children to understand the things or tasks that they will need to accomplish is for them to see the schedule and feel it as well. So a visual schedule may help.
3. Breaks should be technology-free.
Most of the activities which children will most probably enjoy would include the use of technology. That is why the breaks should be something that does not include any gadget or device. Getting some fresh air and a little physical activity could be a good idea.
4. Allow them to have more "downtime."
All of these are new to everyone - to you and your kids. So all the rules which you imposed before the quarantine may now sound absurd. One way or another, loosening the rules a bit could take off some of the stress on your end and the kids as well.
Considering that you also have a lot on your plate, giving the kids time off will also give you a breather from all the chaos. Although frequent checks on whatever they are doing should be a must.
But even though parents seem to have some big shoes to fill in, homeschooling parents are positive that other parents are going to do a great job during this stay-at-home-period.
