Our setup is far from ideal. As the government banned travel for leisure this 2020, my kids & I have been on lockdown for several months. With the absence of a babysitter, I couldn't leave even just for groceries unless hubby is back home from work. Even when the government lifted measures for some time, it had been wise to remain inside. We've been homeschooling even before the onset of Covid-19, but despite the normalcy of homeschool they're itching to get out and run outdoors. They're very much aware of the virus (thanks to all the cartoon infomercials) and the need for social distancing. There were times my 4-year old just had random bursts of fear & frustration, craving for the freedom they once enjoyed. They miss their grandparents and all our friends they used to have playdates with.
The first few months were extremely challenging. I had to deal with my own anxiety while helping my loved ones cope with the new normal. But I also saw this as a great opportunity to train the kids how to be resilient and see the positive in any situation. I believe it's never too early to teach; we plant the seeds and water them little by little. And hard as it is, they learn best by example.
As we live in the city and we don't have a proper garden for the kids to explore, I just draw the curtains during daytime so they can get as much vitamin D as possible from Mr. Sun. Experts say it helps prevent & minimize the blues. We appreciate the few houseplants we have on the terrace & indoors. We enjoy the daily morning concerts of the endemic birds we have in our street. We try to be grateful for all the little things.
Leji dabbles a bit in housework. We purchase perishables from our neighbors twice a week. After cleaning the vegetables, I allow my 4-yr old to trim her fave kangkong or broccoli with shears so I could roast them. She could also slice bread, cheese, potatoes & apples with a bread knife. She could help measure ingredients for cookies and cakes. When she feels like it, she washes plastic utensils and rinses fruits for consumption. She could also tell if the laundry's already dry (they're not cold anymore!), fold, and sort clothes. When she's tired in between I allow her to rest; I don't force her to do anything she's not interested in. She could bathe and dress independently but under close supervision. She knows how to clean up her toys and drain the bath tub too!
We engage in all the "extra curricular" activities they want to try online. We've tried basic sketching, crafts, origami, Flamenco, ballet, yoga, a capoeira, piano, basketball and even taekwondo. So far Leji enjoys Flamenco and sketching (of ponies and insects) while Leon likes dance & a baby yoga. Since they're very young and they don't have the attention span to finish an actual class with classmates, we just access whatever is available on Youtube so we could pause and repeat any time we like. Our goal is just to expose them to what's available. They could decide later on what they want to pursue longterm when they turn 5 or 7. I dunno, we just have to go by gut feel. Skill mastery calls for another blog post :p
To avoid the bedtime drama (after several months of struggling to make them sleep), we abolished a fixed bedtime. I don't advise everyone to do this; but now with less work and commitments, I just think of this as a vacation in another timezone. After all this is over (or if and when we decide to enroll them in a formal school), I believe with God's grace they can train themselves wake up for an early calltime/schedule. Maturity begets responsibility. I close the doors and windows at night and allow them to run around the house and jump on the couch/bed to use their pent up energy. I also allow them to watch educational videos and engage in homeschool activities any time of the day. Curiosity is a good jumping board for learning.
My One PH Co-host MJ Marfori suggested I should revive my blog & record my experience with the apps we've tried. So here's a list of some of what we've tried:
This is the first app we tried for reading. My cousin-in-law Chi recommended this last year when she observed that the kids already knew the alphabet sounds. Up to now we haven't exhausted the activities in the free mode (their attention span is quite short. Leon can only stand it 5mins max at a time; he's a little bit more competitive when he sees his older sister enjoying it). It incorporates catchy rhymes and easy to read stories to help kids remember and blend phonetic sounds. They have math games too. My 4yr old can appreciate some of the second grade introductory materials.
This app is best enjoyed in an I-pad or tablet. They have better graphics than Starfall and catchier lesson starters but most of the time the kids only like using the phone (the tablet is too heavy for them to carry around). More than math and reading, here they could also enjoy science videos & logic games too. Some people print out worksheets too but I prefer just buying affordable exercise books for the kids.
This is one of the most well-advertised learning apps to date and we're not done yet with our free month. Some people post bad reviews about it and say that the trial month is not entirely free (I will find out in my next credit card bill) but so far this has been keeping Lej constantly excited about Science. It features clips from awesome Youtube shows like Sci Show Kids, National Geographic, and Dr. Binocs. From there they ask kids questions where they get to earn stars and badges.
I initially tried this for Math, but Leji complained that some of the math questions are wordy, confusing, and sometimes not practical in the Philippines. Some of the items also cannot recognize capital letters (so if you type 'Triangle' in the box, it would mark it wrong even if the answer is indeed 'triangle'). It has barely been a month but Lej has already obtained all the items from the virtual gift shop :/ She's been asking me: "What now? What can I get next?" I really don't know.
I don't like it that they limit the amount of math you could do in a day. Sometimes it takes more than one problem to explain a concept to the eager kid and we end up answering most items together (I mean that's normal, right? She's only 4. We use actual food, sticks, stones, her magnetic doodle board, her fingers, and her toes as counting aids). The kid still wants to practice more using the app & they urge the kid to do other things. It leaves you hanging most of the time. Or probably that's their psychological tactic to make the kids crave for it. Or probably that's the healthy amount of practice time using gadgets. Hmm, basta bitin.
They also have Reading and Social Studies (World History) but as of the moment both parts are under construction. One can only try a bit of both.
Leon loves this app even if he could barely read the instructions. He's currently obsessed with the Pacman-like character & the alien monsters. We haven't passed thru that level yet.
I accessed this app primarily to track Leon's skills and somehow gauge if he's ok or falling behind. So far so good. Girls just mature faster than boys on the average. But as for the free activities available, we only take them as suggestions. At this point, he won't allow himself to be trapped by a schedule. He seldom allows himself to be recorded singing or dancing on video. He incorporates the positioning, trajectory, and transporting schemas in most of his games without me having to direct him or facilitate the activity. He never runs out of ideas (so who am I to impose? :p) He could play with his toys in ten different ways & even play with recyclables and boxes.
Any other apps or games you have tried? Just message me if you have any recommendations. Easier said than done but have fun at home this MECQ! We already rehearsed for this last summer :p
