This is a thread to discuss the impact of this virus on children, parenting, what do with your kids once school closes down, activities to do inside, the safety of arranging group child care, and anything else that is on the minds of parents.
Copied from the megathread…
Just found out my kid’s preschool is closing for 3 weeks. What are people with young kids doing now? I can’t just plop her in front of the TV for 40 hours a week, even if I wanted to. She hardly has any interest in that. Watches maybe an hour a week as of right now.
My wife’s friends are suggesting childcare swaps. Like 2 or 3 kids come over here 1-2 days a week and our kid goes to theirs 3-4 days a week. I trust these parents to keep my kid safe and happy in normal times, but I’m not sure about that under a pandemic. I talked to one of the dads about it this morning and he was rubbing his face the whole time, lol.
We have plenty of outdoor space, thankfully, so we can get out and about. My worry isn’t so much what to do when I have time off, more that I I need to work during the day. From home, thankfully, but it is non-optional. I work 50 hours a week as of right now.
She’s 4, so old enough to play on her own a bit, but when I’m around she is used to my 100% undivided attention. Like I’m literally playing games, telling stories, cooking with her, playing music and whatnot all of the time to make up for all the time I’m gone. It’s going to be a problem.
My kids are not little, but they are out of school/work and I can’t do this, but if I could do anything now I’d go on a long camping trip with them.
A friend just shared that www.twinkl.com (an online childrens learning resource) is offering 1 month for free for parents with kids home from school during closures. The promo code is USATWINKLHELPS.
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Some solid tips, thanks. Googling a few things now.
FL schools are officially closed til the 30th, basically they’re adding a week to spring break. Now I have to get a new laptop
Peppa Pig on repeat till he falls asleep. Its the best I can offer atm.
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I hear you, man. That must be absolutely brutal having you both sick at the same time.
Actually I heard wrong, we’re getting two weeks of spring break then will re evaluate
I don’t have kids but I figure I can learn from this thread for the next pandemic in 10-15 years when I hopefully do.
Idea from your hiding and rationing toys idea: when you want to give them some, hide them and make a game out of whether they can find them.
Haha fair enough. You probably don’t want to hear “Daddy, what’s this?” on Day 2 of a 2-3 week lockdown.
Schools out here till after Spring Break (mid April).
Wife and I are both teleworking, so plan for our first grader is to each take turns teaching her (she gets reading/writing and I get math/science). Then we’re going to add in some iPad time (she has a few apps from school, plus they got access to a few more). Hopefully we can both work during this time. Finally we’re going to set up play dates - yes it’s a risk, but daughter would go crazy not seeing friends for a month.
Hopefully it works. I think the key is to make a set schedule and try to have it as close to school as possible, so she’s hopefully doesn’t resist. We’ve found she definitely does better when things are more regimented rather than ad hoc when it comes to us trying to get her to do learning activities.
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Alabama just announced schools closing from 18th to 6th maybe longer, extended spring break.
Looks like CA is next. Placer county schools closed until April 14
Wow, kid’s preschool is not charging tuition during the three week shutdown. Really happy about that. Lucky, imo.
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That’s very cool. Are they getting gubmint cheese to do that or are they just nice people?
My kids are just about to be old enough that I need to consider this. Any tips on good places to hide that shit? I need something that they won’t stumble upon but isn’t a huge pain in the ass to get to when I want it.
No guns at Chez Melkerson.
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We don’t have any specifically not allowed places for the kids. Right now we rely on height too.
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It’s a childcare center for students and faculty at a large California University. So yeah, prob on the gubments dime.