Fathers and Mothers of Portugal: we are finally recovering some of our professional dignity, our normal working conditions – which, in fact, have little for those who remain in a telework regime multiplying in the virtual world, between videoconferences, in the Zoom, Skype, Whatsapp, Slack, Trello and the like.
But at least the odds of a four-year-old bursting through our office (improvised!) into it, screaming, “Mommy! I've already peed and now I want my Chocapics!” while we're in an online class, it's going to drastically reduce.
After the opening, on May 18, of day care centers and classes for the 11th and 12th grades (in rotating shifts, 3 hours in the morning and 3 hours in the afternoon), June 1st arrived, the date that I've been waiting for a long time. In fact, it seems to me that I've been waiting forever: June 1st, the opening date of preschool and ATL!
I love my daughters. Don't get me wrong. I love my youngest daughter's high-pitched voice, her frantic energy that floods me with kisses and hugs between morning cries “Mommy! I already woke up!”, as if we hadn't been together for over a year. This, when I'm already up at work since six in the morning, trying to live a new version of my miraculous mornings.
The moments that I used to do before to carry out activities that brought me more energy and motivation throughout the day have been, during this unexpected period "everyone at home", filled with reading, writing, exclusively dedicated to these more focused tasks .
All this because, from the awakening of my beautiful Inês, which occurs almost without exception, every day, around seven-thirty in the morning, this house is its stage… And Elena de Avalor, watched in loop with loud sound so that no detail of your adventures goes unnoticed!
This 1st of June marks World Children's Day and the return of my four-year-old daughter to her little school. When the news came out, I confess that we were hesitant. We have considered your return. The risk of contagion is something real that scares us.
But the benefits of her return, not only for us, but also and mainly for her, who was suddenly deprived of contact and games with her friends, with the educator she loves, ended up overlapping to our fear.
On June 1st, my youngest daughter will start again in a “new normality”, surrounded by masked faces and gloved hands. It will certainly be strange. But the smiles of friends that you have only glimpsed on the small screen for the past few months will quickly dispel any awkwardness.
I feel happy for her. And for me! My miraculous mornings will go back to what they were. The fear of being interrupted in a Zoom session, who knows how, will end. And when I pick up my daughter at five o'clock in the afternoon, I know I'll miss her. It will be like that for me and for all the other fathers and mothers who made this courageous decision, with a broken heart, wondering if their choice was the right one.
Normality is, step by step, returning. In a perhaps not very admirable new world, where I continue with a six-year-old Maria to entertain, between virtual classes, with friends and distance teachers. But now, there are two of us, for one child. The scale will certainly be more balanced.
Here are some suggestions for entertaining our children who will stay at home.
3 ACTIVITIES TO ESCAPE THE screens
1. Paper airplane race
Origami is an opportunity to develop concentration and motor skills. Many can be the figures that we can create in origami.
I suggest they build paper planes, they can use newsprint or magazine or colored paper.
After the planes are built, they will be able to set a goal and make plane races.
2. Build a puzzle
When the thousand and one puzzles we have around the house are getting tired, why not build one?!
It's easy, just a piece of cardboard, scissors and if you want to make this puzzle more resistant, you can plasticize it before cutting.
Just pick up the piece of cardboard, make a drawing or painting using various materials – colored pencils, crayons, markers, watercolors, gouaches… (they can also do it with the family) – and cut the pieces they deem necessary.
In the end, you can put this puzzle together. Hand made to the thousand and one puzzles that already live at home.
3. Windmills or pinwheels
An old-fashioned toy that could be a fascinating activity for everyone.
MATERIALS
a sheet of cardboard;
Pencil;
Ruler;
Scissors;
There;
A pin and a kebab stick
PREPARATION Cut the diagonals out of the paper, glue the ends of the pinwheel in the middle of the square of paper, you can use hot glue.
Cut out a flower or other motif from paper and glue it in the middle of the pinwheel, over the glued ends. Place the paper pinwheel on top of the kebab stick and attach the sewing pin to the pinwheel and kebab stick.
LITERARY SUGGESTION FOR YOU
the girl with the crystal bones, by Ana Simão, Editora Guerra & Paz
Literary prescription: a true story that shows that the true strength is always within us and that however fragile we may be, we can manage to persevere. A real life lesson.
Note: “Activities to escape the screens” are suggested by Liliana Marques, the Mother Educator, mother of a 4-year-old girl and a kindergarten teacher who has been working for 15 years.
Next week, I'll be back with more tips so that, being at home, you can continue as well as possible, with you and your family.
Until then. Be alright. Stay safe.
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