The holiday is upon us!

Many mums are worried, they are wondering what will I do with this child(ren) throughout this holiday?

Well, that is why I am here!

I am not here to give you a list of activities to do but to help you see that there is so much more that can be done with your kids. I know some mums already do but some other mums will be just be thinking of doing their homework and letting them bing watch tv but how do we get out of that mode?

1. You have to re-think play & the mess they make: We are so focused on academics and what we experienced play as that we think play is anything that children do that takes them away from school work. If you still think like that you have to re-think play. Play is the work of a child and seeing and knowing (based on research) that children learn so much from playing we should encourage them to actually play but what we do as parents it to guide the play and be intentional about it.  Play is not just pouring sand and swinging, it is an opportunity to learn. For example, a child dipping a foam in water and squeezing it on the floor is not just making a mess but working his/her fine motor skill which will help in writing in future, a child feeding him/herself is not making a mess but learning focus, hand to mouth coordination. We have to see beyond the mundane and discover what they are learning in the process so we can encourage it and know that it will come with a mess.

2. Plan: The only reason why we become frustrated is that we didn't plan and anticipate what would come next. You know how long the holiday will be, plan and as you are going into the day resolve to not get angry.
Segment the day into morning/afternoon/night and before you know it the day is over.

Morning is easy, cook breakfast together, let them set the table or serve (depending on the age), do circle time - pray together, let them sing rhymes or sing to them (age dependent), read a book, dance,

Afternoon, plan for crafts (tons of ideas online), nap, cook lunch together, work on a project, some children won't mind another book, an outing(museum, zoo, parks), holiday clubs, play dates, screen time.

Evening; Outdoor play, water play (tons of ideas online), playground, night routine.

Just take time out to fill out what will be done each day of the week. It is also a plan that can be given to a nanny if you are going to be at work and join in the fun when you get back. With this plan there would be less tv.



3. Work on a Project: This one is for the parents with a 9-5 and older kids, the younger ones are easier to please. Pick a project most especially something that doesn't seem like homework lol. Type in Google "fun projects to do with (age of your child)" and boom! Just ensure you check in with them before you settle on the exact ones you want to do. You can then work on the project with them when you get back from work.

4. If all fails, take them to grandmas or bring them to my house. Lol!

What are you going to be doing this holiday?