Our wellbeing is often nurtured by having a daily routine, a structure to our lives. If the day feels endless and without a plan, anxiety can easily be triggered. Staying focused, knowing what happens next and feeling proud of achieving our goals makes us feel good. But it is not easy. At present, juggling the multiple roles of parenting, home schooling and working can leave parents feeling that they are spread too thinly - and that we’re not doing a good job at any of our roles. This is hard.
Try having achievable timetables with attainable goals. Each evening, if we map out the following day, it can help us to feel reassured because we know what we expect to happen. Ideally, each family member will have a sense of their own timetable, with children involved in planning their own. Where possible, if everyone’s daily plans work well together, you will also benefit from an agreed time for shared activities or quiet time. This working together as a family will also help to boost wellbeing.
All families have their own rules, some more so than others. But developing some rules for how you can all manage at home at this time will certainly help. Working them out together, and including all your children in this, will make the rules feel jointly owned and fair.