Mom Hacks for coping with kids during COVID-19
You’ve been doing this for going on two months! (Some places even longer!)
Let that sink in!
At this stage you’ve probably got into a “new normal”…at least to some extent. You’ll probably find that the longer you’re all locked down in one home with only a shopping trip to relieve the constant being-in-each-other’s-space, the better you’re learning to cope with that. I hope!
I asked moms to give me their best tips or hacks for coping with their kids during this COVID-19 pandemic.
Thank you SO much to every mom who responded and gave me her advice. I know you’re busy and taking the time to respond is so appreciated! It was so awesome to find that a lot of the things we’re doing are things other parents are finding helpful too. Plus, I have learnt some new tricks that we will definitely implement (for example, DIY pizza!!)
Disclaimer: The views, advice and recommendations of the participants in this article are their own.
Mom Hack #1: Have a routine in place
This was the #1 Mom Hack for all of the mom’s that gave me their advice! Dannean’s advice was to find what works for your kids and family – sometimes a more rigid structure is needed, sometimes a little more relaxed and flexible will work better.
“It helps you plan the day and control the little you can control.”
Maybe having a more structured morning routine and a more flexible afternoon routine is the way to go. But Tanya made the point that having a set bed time is very important regardless of what has happened in the day
The bottom line is this, whether you opt for a more flexible or a more rigid routine, children know what’s coming, what to expect. And if you have some fun activities planned for that day, they know they have something to look forward to.
Here’s is my FREE Weekly Planner for Busy Moms. You can plan your week, each day and your daily schedul. PLUS! I’ve added a little BONUS for just a time as this – A Homeschool Planner for Toddlers and for School Kids!
Mom Hack #2: Exercise for mommy and me
Maybe the thing they look forward to, is time for exercise! I know my littles LOVE exercise time. Not that they do much structured exercise – they’re in it for the music! They bop up and down, twirl around, clap hands, and sometimes just collapse on the floor waving their legs around while they watch me exercise.
Exercise should be fun!
Louise makes sure her little guy gets in some YouTube yoga or running or skipping around the house everyday. She also sets aside 30 minutes of exercise time for herself! What a perfect way to have some me-time! (I know some of you would rather have 30 minutes locked in a bedroom with some peace and quiet…and a glass of wine…)
Mom Hack #3: Help with the Chores
Laundry. Dishes. Cooking. Tidying up all those toys. Chores…yuck…but somebody’s got to do them!
Here’s the good news – it doesn’t ONLY have to be you, Momma!
Enlist those littles to give you a hand! For toddlers, get them to help pick up their toys after an activity, take their towel to the bathroom after bath time, put dirty washing in the laundry basket. Let them help you hang up clothes on the washline (or take them down), put their used dishes in the kitchen sink. Louise lets her child help with the dishwasher and even to prepare supper!
Older kids can be given more responsibility: Taking out the trash before bedtime, feeding the pets, cleaning the bath after bath-time, folding their laundry or even just packing the folded clothes in their cupboards, vacuuming the floors, wiping down counters… making Mom a cup of coffee!
You’ve probably let go of the ideal of having a perfectly clean and organised house by now (If you are one of those moms who manages this, PLEASE tell us HOW!!), so, instead of doing it all, share it out! Lighten the load.
And when your child calls it slave-labour, tell them it’s skills development!
Mom Hack #4: Take turns to get things done
This Mom Hack is all about team work! Taking turns to get various jobs done around the house, or even just to give each other a break is so liberating!
Some mornings, when he’s not on shift, Tim will do schoolwork with the girls while I take a long, hot…uninterrupted shower. (Had one of those recently?) Or while I get an hour of blog writing or school prep done, he’ll take the girls to play outside. It’s the only way I’d stay sane. And the only way I’d get anything done!
So, see what you can share or take turns doing? Louise and her hubby share the cooking and bath time routine. Your husband’s no cook? No problem! Ask him to do those dishes or let him take the kids for a walk while you cook supper.
And on a side note: Those single mamas and mamas whose husbands work long hours / or are away from home for long periods – we see you, all you do and put up with – it blows our minds! You’re not alone, you’re not forgotten and you are awesome!
Mom Hack #5: Planned activities for every day
As I talked about before, part of developing a routine, is planning activities for the kids to do. No, you do not have to be their personal entertainment for the whole day, but if you plan some special activities for them to do, it makes a big difference. Sherae plans one or two super fun activities each day, such baking or sports or entertainment.
“It takes the pressure off having to keep them busy and entertained the whole day.”
Plus, they have something special to look forward!
We’ve found, because our girls are so little, activities have to be short and sweet. Sometimes preparing for them takes much longer than doing them! Louise includes lots of story time, as well as crafts and messy-play activities. Dannean includes time each day, for her slightly older kiddos, to play on their tablets. Tanya makes sure she always has a stock of play-doh on hand. She and her family build a fort on Sundays and spend the day playing in it, reading, colouring and snoozing. And they also do a lot of DIY pizza! How fun?! Kids love pizza. And who are we kidding – so do we!
Mom Hack #6: Lots of free play too
While planned activities are important and give the kids some structure and something to look forward to, free play is vital too. It gives them an opportunity to be creative, use their imaginations, explore new things in new ways. It helps them to learn to play together and solve problems together.
And the best part – you don’t have to plan it! In fact, it’s “free play”, so it’s better if you don’t! Win!
With Sherae’s more flexible routine, she allows her children a lot of free play time. And Tanya agrees that allowing your children plenty of time to play outside in the garden is the way to go!
Mom Hack #7: TV / Screen time
There’s a lot of debate about screen time – how much is ok, at what age it’s ok to allow your children to watch TV or play on tablets. That’s a discussion for another day.
But for us, and Sherae’s kiddos too, 4pm is TV time. And cooking time for Mom! We let our (almost) 3 year old watch about 30 minutes of TV and our youngest (15 months) keeps herself entertained with the kitchenware or some other toys while I cook.
Dannean’s children are allowed 1 hour of tablet time each day – half is playing games, half is educational. She recommends these educational apps: Khan Academy, Duolingo and IXL.
Mom Hack #8: Downtime for everyone
Everyone, and I mean everyone (I’m talking to you, Momma!), needs some downtime every day! Your kids have been playing all day long and it may seem like you’re the only one who really needs a break, but everything they’re doing is learning and that’s hard work!
So they need some time to recharge, just like you do.
For us, it’s nap time. Even Dannean’s older children have time set aside for a nap. The older they get the shorter their naps. But then you can let your child play quietly, on their own, in their room, doing Lego or drawing pictures, while you get your hour or two of peace.
And as Sherae says, she takes no shame in sneaking a 20 minute nap with her 8 month old, when the opportunity arises!
You ARE winning!
Whether you feel like it or not – some days we do, some days we don’t – you actually are winning at this Mom-thing!
I hope you can use even one hack or idea here to make your life a bit easier or even just encourage you that you’re not alone in this! Two months of constantly being with your kiddos, keeping them busy, maintaining a level of peace and structure in your home – you’ve come this far!
Is it hard? Yes. Do you feel like running away sometimes? Probably.
Have you coped somehow? More than you probably were aware! So, go you!
I would love to connect with you and hear all about your COVID-19 coping strategies! What worked, what didn’t. And I’d love to include you in this community of Mommies as we support each other and grow together to become the best moms we can be!
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Awesome Post! Great tips and easy to implement!