” 10 Things To Do When Your Children Are Stuck At Home” was originally published on Youth Ministry 360 found here.

10 Things To Do When Your Children Are Stuck At Home

These are unique times. And they will probably get even more unsettled in the days ahead. Coronavirus has altered nearly every aspect of our lives. As adults, we find this unsettling. But the impact of the upheaval we see in our culture can have an even more dramatic effect on our children. How do we help them keep a healthy outlook on life? And how do we stay healthy ourselves? (Especially if you’re a parent who finds themselves cooped up indoors with a stir-crazy child!)

One of the best ways to help instill a sense of normalcy is to provide a good balance of structure and freedom for your children. This applies to all ages of children in your home. We have four children, ages 16 to 6. While the structured time may look different for each of our children, the concept is still the same. Kids THINK they don’t need structure, when in fact, research shows they do. It helps them more than they know, and of course, provides predictability for you as the parent.

So, I am excited about sharing with you ten things to do when your children are stuck at home during these uncertain days.

1. Re-establish basic daily routines.

When you lose the structure of school, don’t be surprised if your daily habits start to break down. While we don’t always have our children make up their beds, bring down their trash, or pick up their clothes off their floor every day, these have now become for us tasks that we’re doing each day. A daily routine not only helps pass the time, but it also helps them feel like they are back in a schedule. So, create a daily routine. Make a checklist. And yes, if you’re like us, you may have to add “brush teeth” LOL.

2. Schedule reading time.

With children out of school, it’s important to continue to read. Some of your children will love this. Some will fight it. But it’s a great way to structure your day while keeping them in their educational rhythms. (For those younger children who may not love reading, numerous websites have free books online or people reading books aloud. We love storylineonline.net)

To continue reading the article head here to the YM360 blog.

If you enjoyed this post, you may also be interested in these articles:

“Thoughts On Trying To “Fix” Others” found here.

“Finding Encouragement In The Surprising Places Of The Bible” found here.

Joy as a Spiritual Discipline found here.

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