My name is Megan and I am a parent of little ones (6, 4 and 2). The pandemic changed our lives in a shocking way, both good and bad, as I am sure it was with many or most other parents. Since my oldest had only been in school for six weeks I quickly had to adjust our entire daily routine to support her education and make sure she did not lose any of the ground she had gained. We started in the morning with computer work because that was her favorite and she could get excited about schoolwork that way. We did writing after lunch because she did not enjoy that, but at least she was feeling fresh and well-fed.
Maybe you have chosen to keep your children home this fall because you are not ready to send them back or perhaps you always wanted to try homeschooling and now it seemed like a prime opportunity. In either case I applaud you. Below you will find some useful resources available at the Crawfordsville District Public Library to help you communicate with your child and develop routines that support everyone’s sanity.
Remember, sunlight is important in many ways. “Chasing the Sun” by Linda Geddes (551.5 Ged) and “Sunny Weather Days” by Pam Rosenberg (j 551.5271 Ros) offer wonderful guidelines on how to get the most of natural light into your child’s life. For instance, make getting outside for at least a couple hours a top priority. Children tend to focus best in the morning, though not all of them, so pay attention to your child’s rhythms. Perhaps outdoor discovery would be best in the afternoon after a hard-hitting morning of work; that way the entire family can look forward to it. Look for bugs and animals, look at the different plants, even teach your kids good walking etiquette and safety near roads and around other people. Then come visit the library to find some books about what you discovered. This is a great way to teach your children how to use other resources besides Google. “On Beyond Bugs!” by Tish Rabe (j 595.7) Rab and “How Do Dinosaurs Stay Safe” by Jane Yolan (j E Yol) are wonderful companions for these activities.
Next, remember that what they are eating is important. Teach them why you put each food on their plate. For example: The bologna on your plate gives you protein so your muscles will grow big and you will have energy to learn and play. The fruit is so yummy and makes your body strong to fight off sicknesses. Veggies are good in many ways, they help eyes to see and hair to grow. Check out “Vegetables in Underwear” by Jared Chapman (available on hoopla and Libby) and “The Fantastic Fruit Group” by Marcie Aboff (j 641.34 Abo) for more ideas on how to make meals healthy and fun.
Finally, work mindfulness into your day. This is a buzzword and many people do not understand how well it can impact children, particularly in dealing with their emotions. I recommend the “Cosmic Kids Yoga” on YouTube. Also, read books about emotions and how to deal with them. “F is For Feelings” by Golden Melanie Millar (j 152.4 Mil) and “I am Peace” by Susan Verde (“On Order”) are good resources to read with your child. And don’t forget — read books for you as well. “How to talk so kids will Listen & Listen so kids will talk” is a great start to understand the role of communication in shaping your child’s behavior. Children are dealing with the stress of this virus too. Remember to listen and demonstrate patience and don’t be afraid to say sorry.
If you cannot find the books in our physical collection or you would rather not bring the kids to the library, check out our online “Econtent” from our website. There are children’s titles on both Libby and Hoopla. Also, stream children’s educational shows on Kanopy. If you are interested in titles we currently do not have in our collection, make a suggestion and we will take it into consideration. You may contact us by email at ref@cdpl.lib.in.us or by phone at 765-362-2242 with your questions. If you’d like to suggest materials for the collection, you may also use our online form at http://www.cdpl.lib.in.us/contact/purchase/ Hope to hear from you soon.
Megan Noggle is a reference library assistant.
