Resources for Parents
I’m a little bit tired and overwhelmed by all of the emails of “support” coming into my inboxes right now. I have a hard time finding the tiniest bit of motivation to read even one of them. Yes! I know they will help me. Yes, I know there is at least one golden nugget in each email. But I’m afraid of falling down the email rabbit hole only to find that several hours have passed, there is no way to implement even 1/3 of what I’ve absorbed, and I’m even more aware of how everyone else is “doing quarantine” better than I am.
So, dear reader. I took some time and carefully selected a few winning resources for you. No need to read any further than this gem from UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center. In an article on the new homeschool situation, school psychologist Rebecca Branstetter shares these mantras:
I am not homeschooling. I am doing my best to help my kids learn at home during a crisis.
I am not “working from home.” I am doing my best to work at home during a crisis.
I cannot be as productive as normal because these are not normal times. I will focus on what I can accomplish in just the next 24 hours and let go of what I cannot accomplish right now.
Isn’t that refreshing? You know what to do with a mantra, right? Repeat it. Start the day and end the day with it. Write it on your mirrors with a dry erase marker. And please, remember we are not in a normal-time-routine, even though it is starting to feel very familiar. Right now, you’re crushing it. Everything you’re doing to keep yourself and your family alive is both a win and perhaps a small miracle. Good job.
Here’s another golden ray of valuable perspective on having empathy from the same article (How to Reduce the Stress of Homeschooling on Everyone, April 21, 2020):
My child is not giving me a hard time; they are having a hard time.
Behavior is communication, and my child is “telling” me they need support.
The teachable moment about behavioral expectations is never in the “hot” moment. I must calm my child through empathy first.
If you’d like support, a place to vent, a fresh perspective, or even a few moments of empathetic silence, click the banner above and schedule time to talk (free or donation) on Tuesdays. The 2pm group on Tuesdays is an especially good place to meet with other mothers who are carving out time to nurture themselves.
And if you’ve got a minute for another amazing resource, click here. This website emphasizes the importance of structure and routine for children AND parents alike and if you sign up for their email list they provide four sample daily routines (one with meals) that can help you make a realistic schedule for your family.
If you’re interested in learning when I post a new resource, please consider subscribing to my email list. You won’t hear from me more often than once a month. (Unless I’m giving away cash.)
Stay well,
Kristen