First, thanks to The Well Armed Woman for the main image on this post! As I type this, we are in the midst of panic. The stores are all out of toilet paper (come on people, leave some for the rest of us, or just use a bidet or squirt/peri bottle and some family cloth), there is not much on the shelves, people are being told to work from home, places of business are closing either of their own volition or by state orders, schools are closed and parents are [gasp, the horror] having to stay home with their kids. There is a lot that we are being told we cannot do, but there is a lot that we can do.

Amazon is currently sold of out this one, but you can get others. Just search for peri bottles!

I’m seeing a lot of parents posting on the book of faces about how they have made schedules and lesson plans and how they are going to rock “homeschooling” their children during this interesting season in our lives. All of a sudden homeschool is not looking so bad, is it? Well, these friends are two or three days into it, and they are freaking out. It is difficult to get your kid to follow the strict school schedule when they are at home, homeschool parents know this. This is why homeschooling is not always about a strict 8-3 schedule, it is about taking the time to teach the kids about what you are doing during the day.

Are you going to be baking or cooking? Guess what, have your child help or observe, and he is learning science and math. Still get the newspaper? You can work on your language arts, politics, civics, etc., by having your kids read some different articles. Heck, that even lets them learn how to research. Recess? Who needs recess when you can go out for a walk or to the park (I know, I know, some places have put the kibosh on going to the park, but you get my drift), plus you may get some additional learning in by identifying any animals, bugs, plants, etc. that you see while you’re out there. So much can be learned just by doing everyday tasks!

Each day this week, I’ve taken Little Man outside. We either play in the yard or go for a walk. Tuesday, we went to my parents’ rental house where I kicked and used a lot of muscle to pull down a 30 year old shed that I actually helped build. Little Man got into it by helping us knock it down with a hammer (he had so much fun with it!). I took his rocking horse out the other day and placed it on the lawn. He climbed up on it and it was like he was riding in the wild west; each time he saw a car drive by he would bounce faster and faster, trying to catch up to it!

Today it’s extremely rainy, so we are not getting that outside time. Instead, I took an old printer box and turned it into a “house” for Little Man. It’s got windows and a “Go Away” welcome mat drawn on it, and he’s been colouring away at the inside with crayons. We even had a lunch-time picnic in there, with him sitting on a cushion and enjoying his grilled cheese sandwich. Yesterday, he helped me mix up frosting and tint it green with food colouring (the smile and awe on his face as it went from white to green was just the best).

Yes, we want our children to keep learning, but we want them to enjoy it, and as parents, we don’t want headaches and panic. So, let your kids be kids. Let them run around and have fun. Invite them to help you in the kitchen, and get them out to run around as much as they can. Everything can be made into a learning experience.