How COVID-19 changed my homeschool day
Some of our members weigh in on how they are trying to make the most of staying at home.
Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, the two main sources of regular departure from the home were the masjid and the library, and we miss both very much. However, in trying to make the best of the situation, we are enjoying this opportunity to slow down. Our mornings have not changed much since we rarely left the house before lunch but because we aren’t rushing to complete a certain task or lesson to make it somewhere in the afternoon, our mornings have slowed down slightly. Utilizing technology has been vital so the kids can keep in touch with family and friends. Also, engaging in interactive classes on Outschool.com and Art and Wilderness Institute has helped tremendously with outsourcing quality learning experiences and interacting with their peers and mentors. It has also allowed me more time to listen to Qur’an review for longer periods of time, work on fun projects, bake, build with modeling clay, and have more unstructured time to read books aloud and play outside together. The lack of outside commitments has given our family the opportunity to refocus our energy on each other. Although, increased time in the house also means increased mess and increased sibling friction, alHamdulilLah, it has been manageable.
Angie E.
Just a few weeks ago we were going to a co-op once a week, debate club twice a week , Qur’an twice a week and baseball practice twice a week for each child. The library was our lifeline. Now, with all the closures we are just home like everyone else. The first few days were nice as it gave the kids downtime. We decided to have a special family meeting to talk about what is going with the COVID-19 and the temporary changes we would experience. We made a list of activities we can do and integrated into a simple routine. We are doing math and read aloud daily. I am taking this time to let each of the kids do a special project that they are interested in and want to explore more. They will present it to the family. The children are listening to audio books a lot. With so many choices with online learning tools, I am trying to go through them and select a few that work for our family without being overwhelming. We have a lot of board games we are going through. The kids also go play in the backyard, play basketball and practice baseball. We go for a bike ride or short hikes. I am also getting the kids involved in cooking and decluttering their rooms! We fill in these things around mealtime and prayer times.
Shahnila R.
Alhamdulillahi Rabbil aalameen. If something causes us to get closer to Allah (SWT) then it is certainly His MERCY, not a punishment. This thought has been constantly resonating in my mind ever since the COVID-19 quarantine. I strongly believe that it is up to us to make the best of our situation and there is khayr in everything–every “test”–that Allah(SWT) sends our way. That being said, having been relieved of my day to day outdoor commitments, here’s a list of ideas I’ve either started implementing or plan on beginning this week and next, inshaAllah. Read more here.