When the Kids are Home from School

In honor of today...
~the fourteenth-hundred bajillionth call out from school
~following our first MOPS meeting in 6 weeks thanks to all these snow days
~saying, "This is Iowa...we get snow...put on your big girl Carharts and deal with it"
~a day wih a good covering, but flurries for Pete's sake
~when I figure it must be blowing...somewhere... on the edge of town

Sharing something I wrote for our MOPS newsletter, enjoy.


Ah, life with kids...when they are young it's songs and games, naptime and lots of feedings. Yet, the question remains, "What about the older ones?" Getting organized can help prepare for those lovely breaks flanked by snow and cold days. And when I say prepare, I mean as in for battle. It is a war zone in my house when kids are cooped up and bored. As I write this, (January 2014) my kids have had one whole day of school in the last three weeks. Yeah...I love  'em but this mama is starting to run out of creative ideas. Still, there are many things that can keep the troops occupied and non-combative (for the most part). Variety and structure are the keys.

• Limit screen time: yeah we all know the pediatrician recommendations, but sticking to them can be tough. I want to encourage you, because when we leave it on all day, they get worse all day. Have a set time to turn it off, make the kids aware of it, and be firm. For us it is off at 10 am for the morning and in the afternoon on at 3/4 and off at supper. No screen time before bed has been proven to allow the brain a more restful sleep. (You too mom, if you can! Keep it to a minimum and turn the brightness down on tablets...better yet read paper books right before bed.)
• Do something educational: read, have some workbooks on hand, impromptu writing workshop, get ahead on the week's homework. Keep those gears turning or it will be a sluggish experience when they do go back.
• Get creative: try to have a few kid friendly crafts on hand for planned breaks. (I also do this when I know Dad is going to retreat.) Watercolor paint is fun and easily cleaned; they love giant coloring pages for this. Keep loose and extra craft supplies (paper, scissors, glue, stickers, glitter, sequins, stamps -- the sky's the limit) in a handy tub and just turn them loose on it. Be sure to have it in a contained space ... all over the house will drive you crazy. Craft time should easily fill an hour or so.
• Playdoh: add trucks, rollers, cookie cutters, etc. Older ones can practice etching/sculpting letters, too. It is great for building hand strength, fine motor skills, and creativity. Colorful. Classic. 'Nuf said.
• Teamwork chores: life at home doesn't stop just because kids are home. Get them to help you. Keep a list of kid chores handy and track who does what. Rewards help ... so can choice and competition. We read off the list and they call chores, first come first served. When the whole house needs an overhaul, keep them moving. Each person does one chore per room and then we move on. It leaves the house better than it was; not spotless, but definitely better...and they are excited about the accomplishment!
• Play together: building toys are a must for boys. Trains take over the living room, logs in the den, Legos in the boys' bedroom. For girls I would say pretend play, dolls/Barbies...but I am not an expert in that field. Games and cards are always a classic standby. We can Phase 10 our way through the week one hand at a time.
• Bake: who doesn't love cookies and cocoa on a snow day? Baking teaches math and measurement, even chemistry if you really want to get ambitious!
• Get out: outside play is fun and healthy. I recommend getting everyone outside at the same time so the back door does not become a revolving door. Of course, this is limited to when the weather allows. We bundle through most weather, but the arctic cold means short or no outside time.
• Quiet time: in the middle of the day, quiet alone time can counteract the overstimulated syndrome siblings can get around each other. This is good for mom, too. My Gavin calls this his "alonely time." Quiet activities in separate rooms = refreshed family and maybe baby can even get a nap in!
• Change the scenery: Go shopping, visit a friend, head to the park, run to the library. Break up the day a little, if you can. A word on shopping: stick to the list and avoid grand ambitions. Get in, get out and no one gets hurt. 
• Stick close to the normal routine: bedtime, meals, getting dressed. You will thank yourself when they do finally go back to school.

Last, a word to the homeschooling mamas: you could write this book, I'm sure and God bless you for your heart for that. I am seriously considering it for a variety of reasons...though weeks like this make me question the longevity of my sanity. Right now, though, long periods at home are culture shock, so thanks for bearing with our problem solving approach.

Keep them busy, Mama, and keep your sanity!

~As read in Jan 2014 MOPS Newsletter [Mama Pulling Double Duty]