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How to Keep Your Children Entertained During the Ongoing Pandemic

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The global COVID-19 situation is improving slowly but steadily. And while that’s great, it’s important to realize that we still have a long way to go until we’re in the clear. Many people have started to adjust to the conditions and some seem to even like spending so much time on their own. But it’s important that we remember one particular group of people who might need extra attention to pull through this properly – our kids.

Spend More Time with Them

Now is the time to spend more time with your kids, even if you still have to work in home office conditions. You’re stuck at home all the time, so might as well make something good of that, and do your best to prioritize your kids over anything else. They will appreciate the attention, and this kind of quality bonding time will help them get through the quarantine with minimal effort, without even realizing that anything was out of the ordinary. It’s important to maintain the momentum on that
though, instead of treating it as a one-time thing.

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Teach Them a New Skill

Just because they’re kids doesn’t mean that they only want to play all the time. In fact, that’s the best age to learn a valuable new skill that lasts. The only thing lacking in most cases is a clear sense of direction, which is where you come in as a parent. And with most possible distractions out of the way due to the quarantine, you have the perfect environment to give your kids something valuable that will help them out in the long run. It can be anything, from programming, to art and physical
activities. You know your kids best, and it’s up to you to pick something that they will be actively interested in.

I've two grownup boys (12 - 14) and they are showing interest in driving car. My husband started with teaching them car maintenance, they help their Dad clean out or wash the family car. They can run a hand vacuum in the interior. They can run a cleaning wipe across the dash. They can spread soap suds across the car on a hot summer afternoon. They ordered a new car cover online with their dad.

Make Lasting Changes

And that brings us to our next point. Whatever happens during this period, it’s important that you set it up in a way that lasts. Talk to your kids about what they want from their lives in the future – even if you think they’re too young for this type of conversation, you’d be surprised – and try to do something that is aligned with those desires. Again, it’s up to you as a parent to nurture those wishes and cultivate them properly, and you should do your best to talk on an even level with the
young ones to help them make some sense of what’s going on.

Don’t look at this as something bad. While the global situation is definitely not one to be underestimated, it’s also a great opportunity to make some lasting changes in your life. And with kids around, it’s easier than you might think to keep them entertained and to ensure that nothing gets in the way during this pandemic. The most important thing is to get them as involved as possible in those decisions, and the rest will come into place by itself as long as you’re a loving and
caring parent.

This post comes from the TODAY Parenting Team community, where all members are welcome to post and discuss parenting solutions. Learn more and join us! Because we're all in this together.