Are all the days starting to look the same for you and your crew as you honker down during this Coronavis crisis? That's certainly the case at my house. With the exception of our streaming church service on Sunday, our daily routine is pretty identical. We homeschool Monday - Friday, and sometimes even that spills into the weekend. There are no extracurricular activities - running to dance lessons several times a week, sewing class, speech therapy - to help us keep track of which day it is. Even my husband, who usually travels extensively for work, is passing his weekdays at home with us (which we are loving, by the way). The only time we leave the house lately is to visit the grocery store or to take a walk through the neighborhood. And the kids aren't included in the grocery runs, so they are literally home ALL the time with the exception of our evening walks.
No one's complaining. We understand why we need to be socially distant from others, we enjoy our time together (most of the time), and having a fairly large family makes it easy to stay entertained. However, staying home CAN be a drag at times, so after doing some brainstorming, my husband and I have figured out how to make things exciting for the whole family.
We'll have a Special Events calendar!
LOL! Is it the silliest thing? We know there are really no events happening in The Woodlands or anywhere else lately, so a Special Events Calendar for what? I'm glad you asked! A family Events Calendar will break up the monotony of the days and will give everyone something to look forward to. Now, I'm not talking about a "schedule" that includes school stuff, chores, etc., though it's nice to have one of those also, but rather a list of what we'll call "special" events, events which we will plan out for the family. If you've already been doing extraordinary, random things with your kids as you "go with the flow", it's NOT the same as publishing an Events Calendar because, as you know, the fun isn't all about the event itself; there's so much excitement in simply looking forward to what is to come! Really. My kids appreciate it when I - out of the blue - say "Alright guys, let's watch a movie," but boy are they even more excited when I announce "Movie night is tomorrow night at 8:00pm in the library!" Suddenly, it's an event, one they can anticipate for a while and plan for in their own way.
So, what kind of ideas are we talking? Of course, all your planned arts and crafts can be a part of the calendar, but be creative. Here are some ideas and examples of things you can plan at home with just your family. Of course, the events you plan for your family will depend upon the ages of your children and the size of your family. Below is the tentative Events Calendar for my family for the week of March 24:
- 1:00pm Monday - Facetime with Grandma
- 3:00pm Monday - 3D Flowers Art Activity
- 6:00pm Mon, Wed, Fri- Walk the neighborhood (weather permitting)
- 12:00pm Wednesday - Mid-week Movie "Onward"
- 11:00am Thursday - Take a drive through the Waterway Area
- 7:30pm Friday - Dessert & Open Mic Night (prepare a poem to read or recite!)
- 10:00am Saturday - Hair appointments with mom
- 1:00pm Saturday - Backyard BBQ picnic (everyone 10 & up please prepare a side dish!)
- 9:45am Sunday - Online church service - Meet in the living room
- 6:00pm Sunday - Royal Dinner - Wear your princess dress or Sunday best for a fancy meal in the formal dining room!
The ideas are really endless, as we moms have the power and creativity to make all kinds of exciting events happen at home for our families. Events on the calendar can be many of the activities you're already doing - but when you approach them with intention and announce them ahead of time, they become more interesting. Be creative with event names, post the new calendar on the refrigerator or family bulletin board each week, and watch the excitement build up! Happy Planning!
