Homeschooling a toddler during covid-19.

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Hats off to all teachers and to the parents who voluntarily home school. Covid-19 has a good number of parents/guardians homeschooling. 

When we started it was easy and fun and I felt like a pro homeschooling, my toddler. He enjoyed and participated in whole heartily. I got comfortable. ..then one morning he refused to do any of the activities I painstakingly put together. I gave myself a pep talk and weaseled my way through it. The next few days had me talking to myself behind closed doors and thanking God that I have only one child. 
I talked to other mums, teachers, and professionals in search of answers seeing that we were going to be homeschooling for awhile. Then in the midst of my personal journaling, a light bulb moment came to me. 
I decided to put it to a test. I wrote down in a planner, activities for the week. And then I scheduled schooling time. 
On the first day of my new plan, I picked three activities for the week and asked him which one he wanted to do. He picked one and actively participated by the end of the activity, he suggested the next day's activity. I let him pick what he wants to do and we are now both happy and enjoying school time. By the end of the week, we have done all activities, and if we have an activity that is not done I fix it in the next week's schedule. 
I learned that kids are not used to parents being the teacher and that can lead to resistance and rebellion. It is also confusing for them, supporting them to adjust in highly important for their well-being. Be ready to unlearn old ways and learn new things. I am enjoying my time with my toddler. Learning new things from him and appreciating his perspective as well. Who knows by the end of this quarantine I might consider just one more child 🙂

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