Current Climate – Isolation – Natalie Quinn-Walker

With the current climate, many of us are on lockdown or self-isolation; many are already beginning to struggle with feeling as though the walls are closing in. With the Government’s current advice with the closure of schools, and the recommendation of working from home if possible. There is a possible risk of people suffering from mental health issues, loneliness, and beginning to struggle with adapting to working from home. The feeling of being cooped up within our own four walls may be painful, and as a nation, we need to develop ways to ensure our isolation, does not affect cause any lasting damage to our health.

Remote working is a challenge within itself. However, there are many benefits to working from home or remotely. These include the ability to select where we sit and how we sit, however, ensure you adopt a good posture. You can structure your day. Some little tasks, such as setting timers, could assist in your progression through the day. Once the timer is up, you could review what has been completed, then take a break and then get back to work. Other options are cleaning and storing out those hidden draws. I know it sounds crazy. Utilise the time, have a clear out. It will help clear your mind, as you will feel you have completed the dreaded task that you have needed to do for some time.

Another fundamental approach is communication. Although we may be alone in our four walls, it does not mean we can’t communicate. Understandably talking to someone online is not the same and often misses the human touch we often crave. Engage in online forums and engage in discussion points, focusing on positive things, for instance, cats, dogs, and dancing. Many of us have an elderly relative who we are unable to visit, skype call them, email them if possible. Share the activities you are completing with your littles ones, as although they are unable to visit them, no one will feel they are missing out. If you are writing, join a #ShutUpAndWrite group on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check-in with your loved ones – is a must. Making sure everything is ok, that they feel supported even if there are bricks, roads, and miles between you. Allowing someone to knows they have someone available will assist us all to ride this out.

To assist you through this troubling time for millions, it is vital we develop a can-do attitude, listen to the Government’s guidelines, and adopt healthy choices. Through this period, eating a balanced diet is vital to ensure we are meeting all the dietary needs of vitamins and minerals to remain healthy. However, from witnessing all the stockpiling at the supermarkets, understandably, this could be considered a quite challenging task. Therefore, begin meal prepping, creating a menu, and even getting the children involved. This may assist in taking some pressure off you, as it allows you to see what possibilities you may have lurking in your cupboard or freezer.

As we all know, the expectation is we should be drinking 2 litres of water a day. Especially as now, many of us are going to be less active, with no commuting to work. Drinking more water will keep you dehydrated and reduce the risks of urinary tract infections as we remain indoors. Although we may be isolated indoors, there is plenty of opportunities for us to keep fit. Joe Wicks, for example, is offering exercise classes via this website for free, which are videos and live shows allowing people to interact with one another across the country.

To keep the little ones happy, there are many different teaching resources available such as the ones below. Make their time indoors as fun as possible. Their IPADS and the Television should not be the only thing entertaining them while they are kept indoors. Considering making a fitness routine with them, a dance video, make puppets, play hide and seek. Even consider the good old fashion board games that may be lurking in the cupboard. Another suggestion is acting, create a play. Watch a Youtube video and learn the lyrics. You could even attempt to make housework fun for them.

Since many kids are/will be home from school, sharing an awesome list of ideas from a parent who homeschools.

Online resources:
– BrainPop
– Curiosity Stream
– Tynker
– Outschool
– Udemy
– iReady
– Beast Academy (Math)
– Khan Academy
– Creative Bug
– Discovery Education

YouTube Channels:
– Crash Course Kids
– Science Channel
– SciShow Kids
– National Geographic Kids
– Free School
– Geography Focus
– TheBrainScoop
– SciShow
– Kids Learning Tube
– Geeek Gurl Diaries
– Mike Likes Science
– Science Max
– SoulPancake

Lots of board games, library books (and Kindle), tinkering/upcycling with household junk, etc.
Some resources to help with kids at home:

*Scholastic has created a free learn-from-home site with 20+ days of learning and activities.

https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/…/learnathome.html

*Pretend to travel the world..Go on a virtual tour of these 12 famous museums.

https://www.travelandleisure.com/…/museums-with-virtual-tou…

*This is the awesome free curriculum that we use. Everything from under 5 upwards.

https://allinonehomeschool.com/

*List of thinking games by grade: https://allinonehomeschool.com/thinking/

**More awesome free learning websites that we like to use**

https://www.starfall.com/h/

https://www.abcya.com/

https://www.funbrain.com/