Survival Tips From Families

In our phone calls to GAP families, we asked them to share some of their lockdown survival tips. Here are some of the tips.

• Alter your expectations and reframe what “a successful day” looks like.
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• Yes, you know you want to avoid children having screen time, but this is a pandemic. Give yourself a break.
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• German podcast Betthupferl (4-5 minute audio stories) and other BR.de German podcasts for children of all ages.
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• When you make dinner, cut up a plate of crudite to put out on the table with dip the next day so the family can graze on healthy stuff during the day when you are too busy to stop.
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• We ordered a pile of craft supplies from Office Works through click-and-collect, and have been very busy.
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• I organised with my boss that I do an hour of work, then spend an hour with the kids, an hour of work, an hour of kids….
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• We are renovating / moving house, and do not recommend this as a tip for families during lockdown!!! 🙂
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• Netflix has German kids films and programs like Octonauts, Zauberschulbus and Sesam Strasse. Or you can turn on German language on some of the English programs on Netflix.
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• My child is regressing a bit in lockdown. This happened to some kids in the last lockdown and they all bounced back, so I’m not too worried.
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• My partner and I tag-team: one parent is with our child while the other works, and then we swap.
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• My child really felt connected and lit up hearing the German songs on the Spiel und Spass Spotify list.
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• If you join the GAP Morgenkreis a few minutes early, you can get individual attention from the teachers (but maybe not now that the secret is out!)
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• We joined the GAP Morgenkreis and I was delighted to see how happy my child was to see her teachers again.
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• A number of families were really enjoying using the Reading Eggs app (different stages for ages 2 to 10).
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• Our child is quite keen on Tag the Picture (a card / bead matching game with 5 languages, including German, suitable for 3-7 year olds).
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• Involving our child in all the aspects of the housework is a good way to make it all work. It takes longer but our child learns and the job at least gets done. We change bedsheets, hang laundry, fold clothes, cook food, make sandwiches, set the table, stack/unload the dishwasher and vacuum together.
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• Get used to the clutter at home. It is how you know you’re having fun. HOWEVER, if it starts to feel overwhelming, dedicate some time to tidying up – for the sake of your mental health – even if it is just one room that is tidy.
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• Restrictions permitting: See if any of your neighbours have a friendly dog that would be willing to get patted, played with or walked. What a mood lifter. We call it Vitamin D (as in Dog) or Vitamin T (for Truffle the GAP therapy dog, pictured above, running near the GAP).
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• With Lisa3’s craft videos, you can still watch the videos even if you don’t do the craft.
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• Stay connected with others by writing cards and delivering them into people’s letter boxes. (You can augment your education with our mail lesson #1 and mailbox lesson #2.)
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• If work and homeschooling older kids clash too much, let kids play while you work weekdays, and leave homeschool stuff until the weekend.