Dear Overwhelmed Mom,
There is so.much. to take in these days. COVID-19, cancellations of … everything, and now the prospect of who knows HOW LONG with your child at home with you ALL.THE.TIME.
While they COULD sit around and binge watch YouTube Challenges, or play Fortnight until their thumbs fall off… here are some alternatives to help leverage this unexpected time at home in more productive ways…
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Encourage them to start a business! Babysitting and dog walking seem obvious choices, but what about power washing, helping with spring cleaning, or tutoring children who are also at home (in person or virtually). Every teen has a special gift they can share – help them find videos and resources online to leverage those gifts into a bit of pocket money!
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They can become an expert! Everyone has SOMETHING they are interested in … unfortunately many of us stop doing deep dive investigations into things once we are out of Pre-K (remember how much we knew about dinosaurs or the pets of former presidents when we were four?) Challenge them to find something they once loved and find out everything they can about it – with videos, articles, books, and interviews.
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CREATE ART! This is an ENDLESS opportunity and can even be leveraged into #1. Special Effects makeup, drawing Manga, Knitting, Recycled Fashion … you name it – find a new niche to develop and spend this time diving in – without fear of the bell ringing to end your art class – and countless online tutorials to both inspire and instruct you!
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Get REALLY GOOD at a game! Ping pong, poker, or pool? Chess, Checkers, or Cricket? It’s pretty clear the more you practice something – the better you become. So go practice those free throws, stidy up on your chess moves, and analyze those pool shots until you are a 10x better than you were last week!
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Write a book! Fiction, non-fiction, memoir, graphic novel …everyone has a book in them (probably several!) it doesn’t have to be publishable, but it can be extremely therapeutic!
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Be a virtual mentor! There are numerous ways to connect via apps and online in this day and age – why not take the opportunity to connect with someone you can mentor? Be it a younger student, or someone trying to learn a new skill, or reconnecting with a camp friend. Spending time helping other virtually can be a worthy and encouraging endeavor.
At the end of the day just remember …t(w)eens are watching us.
So how are you spending YOUR time?
Lead by example.
In the meantime keep choosing your thoughts so you can create a life you love, and go out and change the world!
xo – erin
