Great Handy Tips For Everyone Who Has Kids At Home

Our children are our pride and joy, and it’s absolutely true that they completely change your outlook on life.

13:08 01 April 2021

You tend to become more responsible and more giving, and certainly more aware of your surroundings in a way that you hadn’t been before they came along. Naturally, the first place that catches your attention is your home. Seeing as how online learning is becoming more common, and that kids are spending even more time at home, you start to wonder if it’s safe and soon start thinking about what can be done to make sure that you have a safe and secure household for your kids, and also keep them entertained so that chaos does not ensue. This is where we step in and give you some great handy tips for your home.

 

Have Designated Spaces

 

Regardless of how many kids you have, when you’re all spending a lot more time at home, things can get pretty chaotic, and your chores at home become endless because everything is such a mess. The best way to salvage your sanity and also provide some kind of structure for the kids as well, is to create and define designated spaces for certain activities. The issue with the kids being home is that there isn’t that distinction for them, for example, for when it’s play time at school they can do what they want in the outdoor area and so on, so you’re used to them coming home and only doing a fraction of these things. Now that they’re home, you can still manage their activities. There needs to be an outdoor area for them to play in, and to also have some exposure to the sun. If they’re indoors all day, they can get depressed, lose all concepts of time, and their whole circadian rhythm just gets ruined, which will affect their sleeping patterns as well.

 

You can make it fun and clear by labeling each room and clarifying what it’s for. Make a space for them to use their computers, a study area to do their homework in, and perhaps a gaming corner where they can have beanbags, a ping pong table, or other options that make them feel they can have some fun when there’s a break. The point is being able to align the schedule that you create for them along with these designated spaces. The kitchen and dining area should be the only place they’re allowed to eat food, and your room is strictly out of their jurisdiction! By doing this, you’ll find that your days are a lot more organized and keeping everything under control will be that much easier. 

 

Keep the Home Safe

 

There are times where you might have to go out to do some errands, or even if you’re at home for that matter- either way, the last thing you want to have doubts about is your children’s safety. The more time the kids spend at home, the more creative and curious they become, and start venturing all over the place. So the first thing you want to make sure of is that all possible risks are taken care of. Put gates at the top of the stairs to make sure that they’re safe from falling. If you’re out of the house, keep this gate locked and ensure that they have everything they need within their vicinity until you come back. 

 

You also want to be more mindful of all entry points in your house so that there is zero risk of anyone breaking in, or simply the panic you might have if you have to leave the kids home for a bit to do something. Locksmith professionals from https://www.trustedlockssouthampton.co.uk/ advise you to get a reliable locksmith company to assess your home and to work out what kind of locks they’ll be putting at each entry or exit point. It’s important that you have someone super reliable because this is the security of your home at hand. There are different kinds of locks with different mechanisms, and you’ll be able to decide what goes where according to the accessibility you want the kids to have when you’re not there and just for the safety of your home in general. 

 

Get Creative

 

You need to stay on your feet to make sure you keep the kids entertained to have a calm and functional household so that the chaos is not excessive. This means you can do things like sign up for interesting online courses that you can take on together as a family. You can do the same with activities such as cooking classes, dancing, and even have game nights for some wholesome family fun. Look into DIY projects to teach your kids to be more hands-on, and get them involved in household chores to give them a better sense of responsibility and also so that you’re not overworked. Be sure to integrate a reward system in general for them rather than punishing them because it will only go downhill from there. 

 

Redo Your Outdoor Space

 

As mentioned earlier, we want to create balance for the kids when they’re home and have them exposed to a change of scenery, even within the comfort of their own home. This is why it’s such a great idea for you to give your outdoor space a makeover. Think about making it more functional and fun so the kids can actually look forward to being indoors. If you have a tree, build a treehouse together- alternatively, you can get a shed made and they can use this as a playroom as well. Get an inflatable pool and a slip and slide for the summer, a barbeque to have an outdoor meal every weekend, and even think about getting them into a bit of gardening to learn about what it takes to grow your own food. 

 

It may seem a bit overwhelming to have the kids at home, because the fact of the matter is, whether you’re working at home or obliged to go to work, you have a big responsibility on your hands. However, the points mentioned here show you that it doesn’t have to be messy, complicated, or worrisome. If you adhere to the advice given here, you’ll find that having kids at home is extremely manageable and can actually be a great time for you all to bond and create wonderful memories and grow together as well.