Shelter in Place: Week 7

We just finished week 7 of sheltering in place . . . 50 days since William has been home from school. March moved at a snails pace and we struggled to find some sort of structure that could be maintained as long as necessary. April did go by much faster, but last week San Francisco announced the mandate to shelter in place would be extended for another month, with a few restrictions being loosened (construction workers can work, realtors can sell homes and people can move, and a few others).

April had a few special celebrations -- I should say holidays that I tried to make special. The first was Easter -- we decorated eggs, did virtual church, and I hid eggs in the common area of our building. The boys loved it.

The second was Chris's birthday. Typically on his birthday I would give him the day "off" --he could go wherever he wanted for the whole day (usually includes a museum, movie, cafe, etc). Since that wasn't happening this month we will postpone his actual day off. This year, I made him homemade ice cream and brownies, put up a banner, had the kids make cards and he opened gifts from his family. The kids thought it was great and a lot of fun. Chris can't wait for his day off.

Our routine has changed a bit with William's class beginning distance learning. He has a zoom call with his class three times a week that lasts about an hour and then a couple of extra small group calls during the week for extra help. I love that he is getting more exposure to Spanish and that his teacher is really focusing on William's reading, speaking and comprehension in the language. In just two weeks his pronunciation has gotten back to where it was back in March. His reading level will get back to where it was too with a bit more practice.

How does William like distance learning? He really doesn't like it. He loves his teacher but he doesn't like zoom calls; he would also much rather play than do homework or read. He does really well in a classroom environment but that isn't the same as Zoom. After each call he says it went fine and he had fun, but he still struggles before every call.

Stephen loves being home with William. He sits right by his side most of the day and thankfully William doesn't seem to mind it too much. When we don't get outside he literally bounces around the room. He runs up and down the halls and jumps on everything. I bought a big foam cushion for him to have some extra padding . . . both for his safety and to save my couches. He is having some fun learning to do somersaults and handstands.

I don't know if it is an actual regression or if he is just out of practice having to talk, but he doesn't use words as much as he used to. He groans to get our attention and tries to tell us things with grunts and sounds. We are working on this with him, but I'm hoping that once we can be around people again, his speech returns to normal.

We've been taking the boys to the nearby park to play in the trees. They've been collecting sticks and making weapons to fight the trees and now they are in a bug collecting phase. Please, let this be a phase. They haven't been running around as much with this type of outdoor play but I also like that they can be in nature instead of on a soccer field everyday. The truth is, they probably need both everyday and that's hard for me to make happen.

Chris and I are doing well; Chris manages working from home with ease. Although I know he'd prefer to be in the office and face to face with his co-workers. We have a nice rhythm for our days and I enjoy the extra help with the boys and getting to eat all our meals together. We started ordering take-out dinner once a week - to give me a break from cooking and to just have a little fun with new food.

Not much else is going on in our house!

How are you hanging in there?

We just finished week 7 of sheltering in place . . . 50 days since William has been home from school. March moved at a snails pace and we struggled to find some sort of structure that could be maintained as long as necessary. April did go by much faster, but last week San Francisco announced the mandate to shelter in place would be extended for another month, with a few restrictions being loosened (construction workers can work, realtors can sell homes and people can move, and a few others).

April had a few special celebrations -- I should say holidays that I tried to make special. The first was Easter -- we decorated eggs, did virtual church, and I hid eggs in the common area of our building. The boys loved it.

The second was Chris's birthday. Typically on his birthday I would give him the day "off" --he could go wherever he wanted for the whole day (usually includes a museum, movie, cafe, etc). Since that wasn't happening this month we will postpone his actual day off. This year, I made him homemade ice cream and brownies, put up a banner, had the kids make cards and he opened gifts from his family. The kids thought it was great and a lot of fun. Chris can't wait for his day off.

Our routine has changed a bit with William's class beginning distance learning. He has a zoom call with his class three times a week that lasts about an hour and then a couple of extra small group calls during the week for extra help. I love that he is getting more exposure to Spanish and that his teacher is really focusing on William's reading, speaking and comprehension in the language. In just two weeks his pronunciation has gotten back to where it was back in March. His reading level will get back to where it was too with a bit more practice.

How does William like distance learning? He really doesn't like it. He loves his teacher but he doesn't like zoom calls; he would also much rather play than do homework or read. He does really well in a classroom environment but that isn't the same as Zoom. After each call he says it went fine and he had fun, but he still struggles before every call.

Stephen loves being home with William. He sits right by his side most of the day and thankfully William doesn't seem to mind it too much. When we don't get outside he literally bounces around the room. He runs up and down the halls and jumps on everything. I bought a big foam cushion for him to have some extra padding . . . both for his safety and to save my couches. He is having some fun learning to do somersaults and handstands.

I don't know if it is an actual regression or if he is just out of practice having to talk, but he doesn't use words as much as he used to. He groans to get our attention and tries to tell us things with grunts and sounds. We are working on this with him, but I'm hoping that once we can be around people again, his speech returns to normal.

We've been taking the boys to the nearby park to play in the trees. They've been collecting sticks and making weapons to fight the trees and now they are in a bug collecting phase. Please, let this be a phase. They haven't been running around as much with this type of outdoor play but I also like that they can be in nature instead of on a soccer field everyday. The truth is, they probably need both everyday and that's hard for me to make happen.

Chris and I are doing well; Chris manages working from home with ease. Although I know he'd prefer to be in the office and face to face with his co-workers. We have a nice rhythm for our days and I enjoy the extra help with the boys and getting to eat all our meals together. We started ordering take-out dinner once a week - to give me a break from cooking and to just have a little fun with new food.

Not much else is going on in our house!

How are you hanging in there?

Shelter-in Place: Week 4

We are heading into our 4th week of sheltering in place. School officially closed in San Francisco on Monday, March 16th but we had pulled William out after school on Thursday afternoon. Chris had been working from home since Monday, March 9th and we he had a feeling we needed to make that call--not knowing the school district was a day away from announcing the closure.

The last three weeks feel like six. We have a functional routine for the kids and that helps a ton but we are missing our neighborhood playground outings immensely. I should say I miss them. My kids don't seem to care they can't play at our usual hotspots; but the tantrums at the end of the day tell me that even though they aren't asking for it their bodies desperately need to be more active than what we can do at home. And I miss the opportunity to sit outside in the fresh air and watch them play.

So, what do we do all day?
Here's our routine:

7 - 9 a.m. = wake up, eat breakfast, get dressed, morning choice time
9 -10 a.m. = computer time: abcmouse.com activities and online Spanish books (listening)
10 a.m. - 12 = choice time
12:00 - 12:30 p.m.  = lunch and story time
12:30 - 1:30 p.m.= quiet times
1:30 - 2 p.m. = choice time
2 - 3 p.m. = Academic time (currently we do not have work assigned by the school)
3- 4 p.m. = computer time: abcmouse.com activities and yoga
4 - 5:30 = choice time (sometimes we go outside)
5:30 = Dinner as a family
6 - 7:30 = bedtime routines (boys have staggered bedtimes)

And then from 7:30 - 10 Chris and I virtually catch up with our men's/women's groups or MOPS, play games or watch movies.

We miss seeing our friends and having playdates and dinner guests. Zoom and social media help us keep in touch but it's not the same. You know this. Stephen and I had a fairly solid routine before this all started. Nearly every morning from 9 - 12 we had something going on and were spending time with people -- things like MOPS, a child observation class at SF City College, a women's bible study that offered childcare, and a two-day a week playdate/child care swap with a friend. We miss all of that. And William is missing his classmates as well and all the things they did together.

I am very grateful for how well the boys play together; some days they don't want to split up for quiet time. There are of course times of disagreement, fighting and wrestling. We did end up increasing their screen time with some learning apps and special programs like the videos of Mo Willems doodling or the museums that offer viewings of their animals. One month in and they are handling that okay; the first week was hard as they'd complain or cry or fight me when the program was over. Having our schedule helps keep the boundaries in place.

And those two hours a day help me get my stuff done. What stuff? you ask. . . 
 - quiet time/prayer/Bible study
 - connect with friends and family
 - prepare for MOPS virtual meetings
 - clean (dishes, floors, laundry, bathrooms, etc)
 - read for fun
 - prepare homeschool materials

So, while it's more screen time than I would prefer but it does help me feel like I have some time for myself and the things I need to do. And that way I can be (or try to be) more present during their playtimes so I can play too.

How are you doing with your families at home?

We are heading into our 4th week of sheltering in place. School officially closed in San Francisco on Monday, March 16th but we had pulled William out after school on Thursday afternoon. Chris had been working from home since Monday, March 9th and we he had a feeling we needed to make that call--not knowing the school district was a day away from announcing the closure.

The last three weeks feel like six. We have a functional routine for the kids and that helps a ton but we are missing our neighborhood playground outings immensely. I should say I miss them. My kids don't seem to care they can't play at our usual hotspots; but the tantrums at the end of the day tell me that even though they aren't asking for it their bodies desperately need to be more active than what we can do at home. And I miss the opportunity to sit outside in the fresh air and watch them play.

So, what do we do all day?
Here's our routine:

7 - 9 a.m. = wake up, eat breakfast, get dressed, morning choice time
9 -10 a.m. = computer time: abcmouse.com activities and online Spanish books (listening)
10 a.m. - 12 = choice time
12:00 - 12:30 p.m.  = lunch and story time
12:30 - 1:30 p.m.= quiet times
1:30 - 2 p.m. = choice time
2 - 3 p.m. = Academic time (currently we do not have work assigned by the school)
3- 4 p.m. = computer time: abcmouse.com activities and yoga
4 - 5:30 = choice time (sometimes we go outside)
5:30 = Dinner as a family
6 - 7:30 = bedtime routines (boys have staggered bedtimes)

And then from 7:30 - 10 Chris and I virtually catch up with our men's/women's groups or MOPS, play games or watch movies.

We miss seeing our friends and having playdates and dinner guests. Zoom and social media help us keep in touch but it's not the same. You know this. Stephen and I had a fairly solid routine before this all started. Nearly every morning from 9 - 12 we had something going on and were spending time with people -- things like MOPS, a child observation class at SF City College, a women's bible study that offered childcare, and a two-day a week playdate/child care swap with a friend. We miss all of that. And William is missing his classmates as well and all the things they did together.

I am very grateful for how well the boys play together; some days they don't want to split up for quiet time. There are of course times of disagreement, fighting and wrestling. We did end up increasing their screen time with some learning apps and special programs like the videos of Mo Willems doodling or the museums that offer viewings of their animals. One month in and they are handling that okay; the first week was hard as they'd complain or cry or fight me when the program was over. Having our schedule helps keep the boundaries in place.

And those two hours a day help me get my stuff done. What stuff? you ask. . . 
 - quiet time/prayer/Bible study
 - connect with friends and family
 - prepare for MOPS virtual meetings
 - clean (dishes, floors, laundry, bathrooms, etc)
 - read for fun
 - prepare homeschool materials

So, while it's more screen time than I would prefer but it does help me feel like I have some time for myself and the things I need to do. And that way I can be (or try to be) more present during their playtimes so I can play too.

How are you doing with your families at home?

Big Boy: Six and a Half

William hit the half way mark between 6 and 7 this week. It didn't seem as exciting as his 4 1/2 milestone but I suppose that is to be expected.  He is maturing in many ways but still a young boy needing a lot of attention, love and support . . . and don't forget play. He still needs lots and lots of play.

I think that is what I'm learning as we finish week three of sheltering in place -- That William loves to play with me, he loves to play with Stephen, and he loves to play all day long. "Homework" triggers all sorts of groans and emotions. It never takes him very long to finish and he seems to get into it once he starts, but disrupting play is a big deal.

So what does he love to play? Legos, Duplos, Hot-wheels races, Pokemon, and soccer. He also loves water color painting and coloring with markers. He still loves a good read-aloud but is not so interested in reading on his own (which is very capable of doing). Before we were stuck in our homes for days on end, he also loved basketball and baseball. In fact, we had just gotten in one practice of his new coach-pitch baseball league before all the things were canceled.

He was on a basketball Kindergarten league for seven weeks starting in January and that was a blast. I don't think I'll mind sitting in the stands for another 12 years. He had so much fun at weekly practice and the weekend games were fun too as long as he didn't get too concerned about the score. A few times he was so concerned (in tears) about losing that he asked us to go home before the game even started. We got to work through some hard emotions together this season. He learned a lot of new skills on the court too.

One of the things Chris and I enjoy a lot at this stage is playing games with William. Once Stephen goes to bed we usually have 45-60 minutes with William. And he loves strategy games - like Pandemic, Carcassonne, KingDomino and Ticket to Ride. He doesn't like loosing so after the game he gets a strategy lesson from Dad. One day he will beat his dad. (Mom is an easy defeat.)

 He has lost three teeth so far and looks forward to losing more. 

He has grown a ton this year. I haven't measured yet but he is in size 7 pants for length and 6/7 shirts. The uniform sets we started with at the beginning of Kindergarten are not the sets he ended with. I'm trying not to be too upset that I bought 4 new pairs of pants two weeks before school was canceled; or that he's missing nearly 11 weeks of learning Spanish. I'm praying that doesn't hinder his experiences next year.

I'm trying to enjoy my days with him at home; getting a second chance (or a longer summer) to enjoy his company and get to know him more. But I am very thankful for his school and his teacher.

The photos for this post were an attempt for me to get more practice in photography while stuck at home. The boys were less excited; but I'm inspired to grab my camera a bit more often.

William hit the half way mark between 6 and 7 this week. It didn't seem as exciting as his 4 1/2 milestone but I suppose that is to be expected.  He is maturing in many ways but still a young boy needing a lot of attention, love and support . . . and don't forget play. He still needs lots and lots of play.

I think that is what I'm learning as we finish week three of sheltering in place -- That William loves to play with me, he loves to play with Stephen, and he loves to play all day long. "Homework" triggers all sorts of groans and emotions. It never takes him very long to finish and he seems to get into it once he starts, but disrupting play is a big deal.

So what does he love to play? Legos, Duplos, Hot-wheels races, Pokemon, and soccer. He also loves water color painting and coloring with markers. He still loves a good read-aloud but is not so interested in reading on his own (which is very capable of doing). Before we were stuck in our homes for days on end, he also loved basketball and baseball. In fact, we had just gotten in one practice of his new coach-pitch baseball league before all the things were canceled.

He was on a basketball Kindergarten league for seven weeks starting in January and that was a blast. I don't think I'll mind sitting in the stands for another 12 years. He had so much fun at weekly practice and the weekend games were fun too as long as he didn't get too concerned about the score. A few times he was so concerned (in tears) about losing that he asked us to go home before the game even started. We got to work through some hard emotions together this season. He learned a lot of new skills on the court too.

One of the things Chris and I enjoy a lot at this stage is playing games with William. Once Stephen goes to bed we usually have 45-60 minutes with William. And he loves strategy games - like Pandemic, Carcassonne, KingDomino and Ticket to Ride. He doesn't like loosing so after the game he gets a strategy lesson from Dad. One day he will beat his dad. (Mom is an easy defeat.)

 He has lost three teeth so far and looks forward to losing more. 

He has grown a ton this year. I haven't measured yet but he is in size 7 pants for length and 6/7 shirts. The uniform sets we started with at the beginning of Kindergarten are not the sets he ended with. I'm trying not to be too upset that I bought 4 new pairs of pants two weeks before school was canceled; or that he's missing nearly 11 weeks of learning Spanish. I'm praying that doesn't hinder his experiences next year.

I'm trying to enjoy my days with him at home; getting a second chance (or a longer summer) to enjoy his company and get to know him more. But I am very thankful for his school and his teacher.

The photos for this post were an attempt for me to get more practice in photography while stuck at home. The boys were less excited; but I'm inspired to grab my camera a bit more often.