May June 2020 Electric.ie Magazine

ELECTRIC.IE • The Magazine & Website for the Irish Electrical Industry • 19 Rointe Educating & entertaining children With schools and businesses closed, parents have a daunting task keeping kids entertained and educated. Children can be very intuitive and pick up on the emotions of those around them, so it’s important to remain calm and upbeat. There is no right or wrong way. You need to determine what is best for you and your family. Here are some top tips to help: • Keep to your normal routines i.e. waking up, time for bed, lunch, bath time etc. • Set aside a separate time each day for educational activities and relaxation slots. • Some children find wearing their school uniform when it’s time to learn beneficial. • Create a timetable for each day and post it on the fridge. • Make time for exercise in the day to keep energy levels up. You don’t necessarily need a garden to have a dance party! • Use online resources such as BBC Bitesize, IXL and Twinkl. • Be realistic, you’re likely to spend more than an hour making slime or baking and around 20 minutes reading a story, so don’t be afraid to be flexible if needed. • Make learning fun for your children and ask everyone in the household to help • A game of scrabble might help with spelling skills and learning new words • Card games can help with maths, or even learning about structures by building towers • Ask them to pick a country and spend some time researching its culture, geography and food. You could even try making some of the local cuisines. • Test out some home-made science experiments • Lego can be great for dexterity and help with colours for youngsters • Watching nature documentaries teach us all about the animals and countries of our world • Ask them to teach your dog a new trick to develop patience and adaptive communication skills Studies have shown that the more interactive and fun learning is, the more likely children will remember them. The #StayAtHome experience can also be a great time for kids to learn new skills outside the classroom, like checking oil levels in a car, baking a scrumptious cake, learning about different plants and flowers in the garden or learning how to do laundry and cook a meal. Children feel empowered when they can do things for themselves. During this difficult phase, make the most of it by doing fun things together like a picnic in your garden (weather permitting), or camping in the living room. Remember, it’s also crucial to ensure your children can still interact with their friends and relatives to develop social skills for the future. Video calling, playing or chatting online, emails and instant messaging are all useful tools (when used safely) to communicate, without actual contact. Most importantly don’t give yourself a hard time if things don’t go to plan. Be flexible and positive in your approach, make sure everyone in the family has some fun. Keeping your mind and yourself busy As we’re increasingly asked to #StayAtHome to protect the health and lives of others and ourselves against the coronavirus, it can be tempting to sit on your comfy sofa, eating naughty snacks! Keeping your mind and body active has a host of benefits like improving memory function and aiding with depression. Not to mention drawing your thoughts away from fears, frustration and boredom during this difficult time. Simple steps like changing out of your pyjamas into everyday clothes, setting up a dedicated office station (if you’re working from home) and eating at your regular times can help create a sense of normality. Spending more time at home is the perfect opportunity to learn new skills, tackle projects waiting for your attention or enjoy the space you call home. Thinking of positive ways to fill your time will make your day happier, healthier and full. You could try learning a new language with sites like Duolingo, making a scrapbook of your favourite photographs or try out that new recipe you’ve had your eye on. There are lots of books online when you sign up to the Amazon Kindle Unlimited* membership and you don’t need to purchase a new device. Just download the app. You could also try out a digital magazine subscription and there are plenty of free daily crosswords and puzzles online. Try your hand at painting, writing, keeping a journal or watching a new TV drama you haven’t seen before. Museums, zoos and theatres are now offering virtual tours and performances. So even though you can’t physically visit The Louvre for now, you can take a virtual tour around from the comfort of your own home. Try this list of the best virtual tours. Or why not learn about meditation techniques to calm your mind? Meditation trains your mind to focus and redirect your thoughts, to achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm state. It’s proven to help reduce stress, control anxiety and improve sleep. As social distancing becomes our everyday life, it’s important to keep some form of digital contact with your family, friends and loved ones. Call your family for a chat or to share your new recipe, email an old school friend for a catch-up or Skype your loved one for a virtual hug. Social distancing doesn’t mean we can’t communicate. We’re just not able to do it physically for now.