Action Points | Tips | Techniques that Work |
Revive Energy | Have your child work standing up. (my laptop is set on a bookcase, so I can teach standing) | If your kiddo is getting headaches or having trouble sleeping. |
Allow them to sit outside part of the day. | The change of fresh air and natural light calms many kids. |
Walk with them after lunch or after classes. | Any movement that has them swinging arms and legs at the same time resets brainwaves. |
Stretch or do quick jumping jacks, or other exercise. | Ask kids to show you GoNoodle at www.gonoodle.com; it’s a free site with lots of fun movement breaks! |
Lengthen Attention Spans | Manage or minimize noise as much as possible. | Get headphones from the district and remind kids to wear them in class. |
Find a space away from traffic, siblings, and especially TV. | Turn off other music, TV’s or devices that play in the background during classes. |
Keeping supplies together will help kids be ready to go to class, and make starting EASIER. | Subject notebooks, pencils, markers, highlighters, colored pencils, hotspots, charger, and headphones. |
| Routines and Schedules | Write out: morning routine, class routine, lunch routine, study hall routine, reading time, telling time, etc, and have kids practice these skills until they can do them independently. | Practice on the weekend in switched roles so that kids teach you to get up on time, brush your teeth, eat, etc.
Don’t be surprised if basic how to skills need a refresher in such stressful times. |
Write what there is to eat for breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner. | Teach kids to cook and clean up after themselves. |
Post times for bedtimes, chores, studying, reading, as well as off times, family times, etc | Try “The kitchen is closed” to make meals more routine and predictable. |
Gamify | House games:
Have activities where kids compete against themselves or against siblings: "The first to ________ is at the top of the leaderboard" or things like that, will keep them engaged. | Game Ideas:
First / Last to…
The floor is lava…
How many breakfasts can you make out of ____… |
Thinking games: Work everywhere: ask what skills kids are working on, then add a voice, movement, routine skill, or imagination creation to do at the same time they recall the skill. | Do (a chore) while (counting backwards from ###) or while (saying the alphabet backwards)
Read to your sibling in a pirate voice
Build a fort, and test how much weight it will hold. Compare with others |
Get Lots of Good Sleep | Earlier bedtimes will help kids get up on time, and stay calm under stress. Nearly all of my students start school with a poor night’s sleep. It might feel or sound old-fashioned, but turning off the tv and all electronic screens between 8pm through 8am will give brains and eyes time to rest. | With schedule changes, this can be hard, but worth it. Literally turn off the Wi-Fi to reduce computer/TV light sources. This simple thing can improve sleep. No lesson is learned by sleep-deprived kids. |