For many families, the fact that children cannot go to school due to the pandemic can cause a lot of concern. For parents who work outside the home, the most basic problem is: who will look after the children? This is an important and difficult decision that requires careful consideration. For some mothers, this might be the time to take a leap of faith, stay home with their children, and adjust to a single income. For those who cannot do this, leaving them with trusted family members or friends who share good values might be a temporary solution. It's important to remember, however, that other people may not always raise your child according to your principles. Actions like letting them watch TV or stay on their phones all day will not only harm them but also hinder their physical, mental, and spiritual development. Read this article to understand more. If you must leave them with someone, provide instructions on what they should do during the day (after reading the tips below). It's worth considering, however, if it wouldn't be better to develop a home-based income, which could even involve your children's help. Whatever your situation, ask God for wisdom, and draw even closer to your children to provide them with security and comfort during this time.

If you are able to stay home with them, or can take them to work, your concern will likely be different: what to do with them now? Choose to be positive at this time and see the situation as an opportunity to enrich their education. Life education is best provided by parents or guardians through daily activities, as it occurs in a more natural and real environment.

At a printer store in our city, the owners' children are spending the day helping their parents. They stock shelves, assist customers, and perform small tasks. Imagine the practical learning they are gaining! Some time ago, before the crisis, I met a family who owned a supermarket, and their 11-year-old son would stay with his parents at the store after school. He had already learned skills like closing the till, doing inventory, and managing stock. He did everything with great pleasure and felt accomplished!

Perhaps this is an opportunity to revive the education our parents and grandparents received and pass it on to our children. Perhaps it's time to educate our children in a more practical way and in a manner that develops their character for Heaven!

The mission of Project Restore has been to help families provide true education for their children, and today we want to invite you to consider this potentially difficult time as an opportunity to offer your children an even better and more complete education. So, what are some steps you can and should take at this time:

1. Talk to your children. Sit down as a family, discuss the world's situation with them, and reassure them of your concern and God's care for them.

1. Establish a new routine. Children naturally thrive on routine because they feel more secure knowing what will happen, when they will eat, and when they will receive basic care. So, the sooner you establish a routine, the calmer your children will be. Start with basic activities like bedtime and wake-up times, meal times, and family devotions, remembering that with God, this process will be easier.

1. Involve them in household activities. Involve them in basic household activities and a large portion of their time will be utilized. Besides being a help to you, they will be developing, learning responsibility, and even academic skills. Asking children to help at home is not wrong, not even legally. Consider their age and create a daily plan.

1. Rediscover nature. Children who are usually confined to a classroom will greatly benefit from spending time in nature. Set aside time in their daily routine for them to play outdoors and do small tasks outside. Caring for an animal, starting a vegetable garden or flower garden, and even cleaning the yard are just some of the countless projects that can be developed. If you live in an apartment, look for parks or squares nearby where they can go. Grow a balcony garden, in pots, or PET bottles. There are countless online tutorial videos. Plant easy-to-care-for succulents or herbs that can be used in cooking. Do all of this, learning math, science, and other practical knowledge. (See some ideas here). Take the opportunity to research areas of interest more deeply, such as: insects, astronomy, rocks, or the life and habits of a specific animal.

1. Teach practical skills. Your child might be interested in an activity they never had the chance to try before, due to being too busy with school activities, such as: sewing, woodworking, cooking, photography, a foreign language, etc. Present them with options, research, and challenge them to develop a new skill. If you don't know how or don't have time, ask a relative or friend for help. Also seek help with online courses, especially if they are pre-teens or teenagers.

1. Teach academic content creatively. You don't need to be a teacher to help your child learn. Be a facilitator; if you don't know the answer, help your child find the information. Teach them naturally, by discussing what they know and, most importantly, by answering their questions. It is believed that children ask more than 100 questions a day. When they are at school, however, they don't have the opportunity to have their questions answered, maybe one or two at most, but with parents, all of them can be answered with a little patience. Offer new books on unfamiliar subjects, and present interesting documentaries. If possible, visit places or take virtual tours of museums and interesting sites. If their school provides any study guidance, take advantage of your freedom at home and show them how things truly are and how they work, rather than sticking to textbook illustrations and explanations. Make connections between the subject being studied and the family's past experiences related to the topic. Remember that learning is cumulative, and the more associations we make with personal experiences, the more a child learns.

1. Start an entrepreneurship project. Children need to feel accomplished in something. Children and teenagers who don't feel good at anything often get involved in risky activities to show peers they can excel at something. With more free time, if you don't involve your child in healthy projects, they might seek unhealthy ways to pass the time. So, this is a great time to introduce them to entrepreneurship. Encourage them to produce something and sell it to neighbors and family. Start with something simple: making cookies, bread, handmade soap, or any other craft. This experience will give them the opportunity to develop many skills. They will need to plan, calculate prices, raw material costs, interact with "customers," etc. Most importantly, they will be occupied with something useful and feel accomplished by earning their own money. Can't see how this is possible? Then get inspired by learning about Acton Children's Entrepreneurship Fair in the USA.

1. Cultivate a spirit of solidarity. Being aware of others' needs during a crisis is a good way to shift focus from ourselves and begin to develop compassion for others. Encourage your child to prepare cards with messages of comfort for the sick and elderly. If they are teenagers, they might be able to help care for a younger child who may not have a place to stay. Encourage them to develop creative games with these children, using ideas from this article or the blog. Other activities can be developed with an elderly neighbor who lives alone. Offer to help mow the lawn or clean the yard. Without overstepping social boundaries, take the opportunity to talk and learn from their life and achievements. The elderly will be delighted, and your children will be learning firsthand in the school of life. This is the true socialization our children need to appreciate and learn to communicate with both older and younger generations.

1. Teach them to take care of their health! After all, the reason you're making all these changes is to preserve their health, isn't it? To prevent Coronavirus infection, it's essential to have a strong immune system, and there's no better way to do it than naturally. Research natural options to boost the immune system. Have you heard of the eight natural remedies? If not, read this material to your children and learn with them. You will discover that achieving ideal health—physical, mental, and spiritual—doesn't cost money; it just requires making wise choices and being persistent.

1. Develop your faith. Moments like these affect us and challenge our faith, as we feel vulnerable in situations beyond our control. It's time to seek God, study His word, and find peace amidst the storm, but don't do it alone; include your children in the process, as they are also experiencing anxieties. Studying the Bible, in addition to bringing comfort to your family, can be a wonderful educational activity for your children. When reading biblical stories, ask them to relate them to the period of world history and the geographical location where they occurred. Pay attention to the culture and customs of the time, and everything will make more sense and be more interesting for them.

All of this might seem like a big challenge for you, but it will also be a great opportunity to experience firsthand what homeschooling is like. Seek God, and you will discover a strength greater than the problems you are facing. Don't forget, He is in control, even if it doesn't always seem that way.

For more ideas on how to seize opportunities to teach your child, read the other articles on this blog, and a new world of possibilities will open before your eyes. God bless you!

Rute Bazan

Photo: Freepik.com

‍