Tips for Staying Healthy at Home During Quarantine
We’re now well into the school year, though for a lot of people, this school year has been anything but normal. We know that Moms are facing challenges like never before, especially when children of all ages may be learning from home. When everyone is home, it can be difficult to maintain structure during the week, and even harder to remember to eat healthy foods. That’s where You’re the Mom comes in! We’re here to help you navigate the learning-from-home life by supporting you with tips and helpful habits to employ for those days when everyone is working and learning from home.
Consider both your needs and your child’s before you set a schedule. Setting a schedule gives your days some consistency and helps children come to understand what is expected of them each day. But before you decide on a daily schedule, consider what works best for you and your children. For example, if you have meetings every day at 10am, don’t schedule snack time for 10:30 every day. Or if you know your child always gets cranky around 2pm, try scheduling an exercise break right around that time. Knowing what each person needs and adjusting the schedule accordingly will help the day go smoothly.
Have a set time for breakfast each morning. The same goes for waking up! Breakfast is an important meal and helps ensure kids are fueled with the energy they need to remain alert and ready to learn. Again, having a schedule that you stick to is important for consistency and structure. Asking your kids to be dressed when they sit down for breakfast helps, too- that way, they are ready to get straight into learning once they are finished.
Schedule frequent stretch and exercise breaks from work and learning screens. Sitting in front of
a screen can be draining for kids- and moms! For every 30-45 minutes of class or work time, take a 5-10 minute exercise, stretch, or movement break to get the blood flowing and re-energize moms and kids. Try a walk around the block, playing catch, doing some jumping jacks, hopping on one foot, doing some cartwheels- whatever gets the family a little energized and moving after sitting and staring at the screen.
Lunch breaks double as nutrition education!
Lunch at home can be tough, but when you involve your child and have them participate in the preparation of the lunch, you have an opportunity for them to increase their competence in the kitchen and learn a little something about food. Have your child help you prepare lunch, or even come up with lunch menus for the week. Talk about the types of foods you’re preparing- ask questions like where they grow, what they taste like, what other dishes they can be used in, and so forth. If your child is older, you may even have them do some research on food science via the internet or the school library if they have online access.
Recess is important for everyone! We know we said to schedule breaks, but including a full 30 minutes of movement with no screen time is essential. You might take a walk to the local park if there’s one nearby, find an exercise class on YouTube (they have them for all ages), do a calisthenics competition, or play “the floor is lava.” Again, we’re not picky- as long as kids and mom are getting that exercise in! It will make for better learning in the day-to-day and helps to combat stress, too.
Expectations are key- for their day, and yours! We know you may have to work from home while your child is learning, so having your child understand when you will and will not be available to help them is key. Similarly, setting expectations as to what they should be doing when you are not available is important too! Talk to your kid about what they need and how you can support them. Setting expectations helps to reinforce that schedule that we’ve been talking about, which will benefit the whole family during this challenging time.
Make time for fun with the family: It may sound strange since you’re spending so much time together when everyone is home, but making time for family that doesn’t involve work and learning is important for social connection, relaxation, and laughter! This can be as simple as all having lunch at the same time, working together to prepare a family dinner, or having a family game night. Spending some time together as a family doing something fun gives everyone something to look forward to during the week, and can boost your mood and energy levels.
Lastly- and perhaps most important- be flexible and be gentle with yourself, Mom! This is not an easy time for anyone, and not every day is going to be perfect, but that’s okay. We know you’re doing your best, and we bet your kids know it too. We hope some of these tips help make your days a bit easier and healthier! Have you tried any of these tips or tricks? Which ones work well with your kids? Tell us below in the comments!