Watercolors, bikes, planting things, bubble baths.

Being at stay at home mom. Nothing has changed for me other than GETTING to be with my kids more. Yes, I said getting - as in I don’t dread that my kids are home with me all day. Silver lining all day every day over here.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Consistency with our routine, outdoor time when weather permits, no screen time, lessons and play based on children’s interests, cooking together, calling family daily, reading all the books, and the list goes on.

I agree with this! Keeping bedtimes, changing into clothes during the day and pajamas at night, and keeping regular mealtimes have helped. We don’t do no screens, but we do keep up with a eat, work, play, rest routine that worked when they were babies, and still seems to work as elementary schoolers .

+1. No screens except for schoolwork during the week and keeping to a reliable schedule for meals, bedtime, free play and chores means that lazy weekends and extra movies still feel like a treat. Daily family walk pretty early in the morning and lots of yard time. On the days when I’ve let the schedule slip, I almost instantly see my youngest start to get moody. I have to say, “I don’t know,” to so many of their questions that the consistent schedule is a major source of comfort for them, I think.

Kids have been playing together a ton, and so nicely, which is probably the biggest help.

We have a bunch of craft supplies that they have been enjoying. A big yard is a blessing. I’ve been letting them dig a hole and they have games made up around it.

We have also found the eat-activity-rest cycle helpful (kids are 8, 6, and 4). Other things that have helped, in no particular order:
-Going to nearby fields and letting them run
-Time with bikes and scooters
-Baths in the middle of the day
-Adding new art supplies (stencils, water colors)
-Letting the dog sleep in the oldest’s room at night (her quarantine support animal, as a friend said)
-Picking a show for each of the older two kids and letting them watch it with us one night/week after the others go to bed
-Other nights, a family show we watch
-Rainy days, liberal screen time *with headphones* (we did this when it poured all day recently, and I haven’t felt that refreshed in a looong time)

DH and I are both working FT from home, and our schedules are variable enough to make regular shifts and riding schedules hard. Things are still pretty rough, but the above have brought some slightly less hard moments to our days.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live in an apartment but the complex is small and my kids are the only kids in the building. So we’ve taken over the grassy patch behind the driveway and often play in the driveway too. (Neighbors are very careful and don’t come and go often anyway.) Stick ponies are an amazing saving grace. The girls (7 and 3) run races, brush their manes, “feed them” etc. I had no idea how grateful I’d be for our stick horses.

My girls are also horse-obsessed. I bought them some dog agility jumps from Etsy (made out of PVC pipe) and they created courses and jump over them all day long. They can live outside because they’re PVC and they’re lightweight and easy to move.

^^^^^

I mean the pipes can live outside. Not the kids. Sorry for my mixed pronouns. But man I wish my kids could live outside, too.

Anonymous wrote:We live in an apartment but the complex is small and my kids are the only kids in the building. So we’ve taken over the grassy patch behind the driveway and often play in the driveway too. (Neighbors are very careful and don’t come and go often anyway.) Stick ponies are an amazing saving grace. The girls (7 and 3) run races, brush their manes, “feed them” etc. I had no idea how grateful I’d be for our stick horses.

My girls are also horse-obsessed. I bought them some dog agility jumps from Etsy (made out of PVC pipe) and they created courses and jump over them all day long. They can live outside because they’re PVC and they’re lightweight and easy to move.

An amazing husband who is a fantastic and loving dad too.

Going to a large, isolated spot to ride bikes daily. I usually exercise while they ride. Hoping we can get them off training wheels with all this practice.

Here’s a vote for duolingo. Good time to learn Klingon. Or Spanish. Or whatever.

Cups. I know right. Those clear dixie cups. My toddler LOVES them and spends hours making all kinds of towers with them. Magnet blocks, and a butterfly and ladybug kit. We spent the first three weeks waiting and watching them go through all their stages and I had a journal for the kids. They LOVED it. For the teen, it is all about Wifi and Youtube. Also, having a large SFH and land to escape to and not feel shut in or claustrophobic.

Our screened in porch—it has helped me not feel so isolated from the world.

Disney +

Also, not having such a packed weekend - play dates, activities, date nights, errands. I didn’t realized how unnecessarily stressed I was before this.

Riding bikes to the national mall and all around town. Having a lovable family dog. Glad we have two kids who play together. Chocolate.

Consistent routines have been key for all of us.
1-1.5 hours “quiet time in your room” every single afternoon after lunch. Kids rarely actually sleep (younger one will occasionally) but it gives them a few mins apart. DH and I either get work done Or retreat to separate corners to recharge.
As much outside time as possible. We will basically force - march them theough the neighborhood if nothing else.
Games, both board/card and outdoors. While everyone else was stockpiling toilet paper, my DH went to dicks and got cornhole and croquet and a bike for the 5YO.
Am trying to spend 1:1 time with each kid. It’s harder since the other one is NEVER out of the house lol

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Consistency with our routine, outdoor time when weather permits, no screen time, lessons and play based on children’s interests, cooking together, calling family daily, reading all the books, and the list goes on.

I agree with this! Keeping bedtimes, changing into clothes during the day and pajamas at night, and keeping regular mealtimes have helped. We don’t do no screens, but we do keep up with a eat, work, play, rest routine that worked when they were babies, and still seems to work as elementary schoolers .

+1. No screens except for schoolwork during the week and keeping to a reliable schedule for meals, bedtime, free play and chores means that lazy weekends and extra movies still feel like a treat. Daily family walk pretty early in the morning and lots of yard time. On the days when I’ve let the schedule slip, I almost instantly see my youngest start to get moody. I have to say, “I don’t know,” to so many of their questions that the consistent schedule is a major source of comfort for them, I think.

Kids have been playing together a ton, and so nicely, which is probably the biggest help.

We have a bunch of craft supplies that they have been enjoying. A big yard is a blessing. I’ve been letting them dig a hole and they have games made up around it.

I’m voting Netflix and Disney + our MVPs. Pretty much nothing else occupies my kids for more than 15 minutes.