During movement control order. How to cope with everyone being at home?

The widespread school closures due to the coronavirus have sent a ripple effect into parent communities. This particular unexperienced scenario is very much teetering on either explosion or irreparable damage within a family, especially parents who are working from home with their children. If work takes the priority, then children often feel ignored or unappreciated.

To ease these tensions, parents are recommended to work in shifts, taking turns to supervise the children and set aside time to chat and listen to each other’s concerns each day. Parents may also come up with some family plans to interact with each other, like preparing meals, doing house chores, playing board games, exercise work out or etc. together. Getting involved in each other’s current interest and volunteer to be part of it to make them feel included.

If you choose to have screens available to your kids during this period of time, use them wisely as a parenting tool. To keep your kids from “over-indulging” on screens:

• Make screen time predictable: have a set time in the schedule so children know when to expect screen time (like while you make breakfast or before nap time) and for how long.

• Turn it off: Follow through when the scheduled time for screens is over, and don’t leave TV on as background noise. If the house feels too quiet, turn on some music instead.

• Outside of the scheduled time block, only use screens when you (the parent) chooses it because you need it. Save screens for big moments, like when you have a conference call or dinner preparation isn’t going well.

Kids crave deep connections with their family, whether or not they admit it, and look forward to having fun together. Start planning now and carve out some family time and watch your relationships grow.

Stay safe and spend quality time with family at home. Hope for a brighter tomorrow with lesser diagnosed cases and full recovery of COVID-19.