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I was one of the lucky moms who got to work from home. I got to contribute financially to my family, and at the same time spend precious time with my baby. A dream come true, right? Well, it was much harder than it sounds. What most people don’t understand, is that working from home meant my baby controlled my schedule.
The other day, I had a conference call at 9:30 a.m. for 30 minutes. Perfect! That was just in time for my daughter’s first nap, so I could take the conference call without her cooing in the background. I woke up that morning confident that I could tire her out in time for the call and that I could give everyone my undivided attention during the meeting.
Here were the events that pursued:
9:20 AM: I received a text from my manager that the meeting was delayed 15 minutes. Okay, not the end of the world. My daughter was already sleepy so I was in the process of putting her down for her nap, but perhaps she could still sleep through the whole meeting. 45-minute naps are not unheard of, right?
9:43 AM: Another text. They needed another 10 minutes. All right, no worries.
9:55 AM: Yet another text. The meeting was delayed to 10:15 a.m. Most likely Zoe would be awake by then, but that’s okay. She might be playing and cooing in the background during the call, but my coworkers were pretty used to hearing baby noises by now.
10:15 AM: The meeting finally started, but surprisingly, my daughter had not woken up yet. I anxiously looked at the baby monitor like it was a ticking bomb, hoping that she would by miracle sleep another 30 minutes. But 5 minutes into the meeting, she woke up screaming like someone was about to take her hostage. I put myself on mute, threw the phone on the ground, and ran to grab her. With my baby still in a bad mood and howling in my ear, I sprinted back to get my phone and tried to listen to my coworkers as much as I could.
Man did my daughter wake up on the wrong side of the bed. I tried distracting her with different toys, laying her down on the ground, walking her around the room…nope, she was not having it. I strained to hear my call and prayed that nobody would need me or ask me a question. Taking myself off mute would be a horrible idea right now.
However, I knew that I would have to speak eventually. There were topics on the agenda that needed my input, so my plan of action was to get my baby to be quiet immediately. I whipped out the magical boobs…or at least, they were magical when my son was an infant. It didn’t matter what was bothering him, as soon as I popped him on my breast, the world was a better place.
My daughter, unfortunately, does not share the same sentiments toward my milk jugs. I tried nursing her, and she just seemed to get angrier. Panicking, I started walking around the room again with her while trying to nurse her at the same time.
Wait, there was hope! She finally latched on and seemed to have quieted down for a few seconds!
Luckily, I was able to speak a few sentences while frantically pacing around the room feeding my daughter. Just as I spoke my last words, I could feel my let-down reflex happening, so I quickly pressed the mute button again just as my daughter pulled off my breast, angrier than ever.
For those of you who do not breastfeed, let-down is essentially when you turn on the faucet and the milk really starts to flow. Unfortunately for my daughter, my let-down was quite forceful, so instead of a faucet, think of the Hoover Dam opening its gates and all the water flowing out. My daughter quickly pulled off so she wouldn’t choke on my milk, which left my boob uncovered, shooting milk everywhere. I was holding my baby with both arms and had the phone wedged between my ear and my shoulder, so there was no way to somehow pull up my bra.
Just when this was all happening, our dog walked into the room. She got sprayed in the face by my breast milk and she got excited thinking I was playing with her. She chased me around the room, jumping and licking at my breast milk as it sprinkled the carpet, the sofa, everything. My coworkers, clueless about what was happening, continued their deep discussion, and all I could do was listen and try to remember what was being discussed as much as I could over my daughter’s cries.
I was sweating as if I had run a marathon, and my arms were burning from holding my baby for the past 20 minutes. Finally, my let-down stopped and my dog calmed down (though she continued to lick the carpet whenever she found a spot with milk on it).
At least, there was peace and quiet. My daughter popped back on my boob and started nursing again, and I could sit down on the sofa and relax. I turned my attention back to the call and I heard, “Okay good call everyone, let’s get back together again after lunch.”
Betty Boiron is a mother of two who strives to inspire other moms to embrace motherhood as the hot mess it is. When she is not busy chasing after her kids or digging herself out of piles of laundry, you can find her writing on her blog Mombrite.
The pandemic has been hard on parents, there’s no doubt about that. But it’s also been really hard on kids: not only have they had to adjust to unique school experiences, they’ve also lost a lot of the freedoms they’ve had to just…well…play. I never thought an Apple Watch would be a way to give my kid some of that freedom and independence back but I recently tried one out and I’m here to say: this thing is the bomb. Let me explain…
Three main things have changed dramatically in our lifestyle in the last year:
1) After nearly a year of school closures, our district reopened elementary schools.
School hours and how and where parents pick kids up is quite different than non-COVID times. In addition to school changes, this year my son is a Crossing Guard/Patrol, which means that every two weeks his afterschool schedule changes. I work full time (I’m the Managing Editor for Red Tricycle, obtw) and have a lot on my plate, so his schedule changing can throw things off for me, like meeting times and deadlines.
Plus, parents are essentially not allowed in the school unless it’s an absolute emergency. Running late? Your kid is waiting for you outside (they will bring the kids in if it’s super cold). And with the added responsibility of Patrol, his pickup time changes slightly depending on how many kids are crossing, how fast he checks in his equipment, etc. In short, the time is a little different EVERY. DAY.
2) We live in Minnesota, so “afterschool/outside school activities” means hockey. The “no parents” rule is similar for hockey practices and even most games. Parents are only allowed in the rinks if you need to help your kid get his gear on (my son is a goalie, so he still needs a little assist sometimes). You just drop them off outside or come in at the very last minute if they need help. This is very different than years past, where hockey culture frequently includes parents hanging out and helping out at practice (at least at this younger age).
3) Grandma moved into town.
I don’t believe my son is old enough to have a phone (he’s in 4th grade) but increasingly we found that we wanted him to be able to let us know when he was ready to go. He also started asking if he could walk to (his now fully vaccinated) Grandma’s house after school sometimes.
WALK?? ALONE??? I don’t consider myself to be a helicopter parent, and we live in a pretty safe community, but I also listen to a lot of true crime podcasts and occasionally panic about horrible potential scenarios. How do you balance that line between fear and teaching your kids fear, between safety and independence?
As it happened, right around this time of internal, moral debate, Apple Watch reached out to me to see if I could try the Family Setup feature. So they sent a (loaner) Apple Watch for us to try and, honestly, it really was transformative.
Features I Love the Most
Schooltime: From my phone I can set Schooltime hours, which makes the Apple Watch essentially only functional as time-piece during those hours. It does still track activity, but the majority of the features on the Watch go dormant. They can be accessed only temporarily during schooltime, for such things as emergency text or updates, but overall are “disabled” allowing for fewer distractions.
I was hesitant to send him to school with this watch on, but was actually thrilled to hear that my son’s teacher didn’t even notice he was wearing an Apple Watch: this meant it was not a distraction in class for him or anyone else.
Texting & Calls: As the parent, you control the contact list entirely. This is critical. With Family Setup your child cannot add any contacts to their list on their own. It is all controlled by the parent. I added friends and relatives we trust, not just for emergencies but so he could keep in touch on his own. He’s an only child, so having a cousin to “chat” with now and again is a lifeline.
He can also text via WiFi, but we found calls didn’t work great on WiFi to non-Apple numbers. You’ll want to add the Apple Watch to your cellular plan, which typically sets you back about $10/month when tacked onto an existing plan.
Emergency contacts are also an option: whomever you put on for emergency contacts can be contacted and called for under one minute without requiring a cellular plan.
Handwashing: There is actually a tracking device that shows if the kids have washed their hands long enough! WUT!
So, for the first time in his life, my son walked a few blocks on his own to his Grandma’s apartment after school. And, yes, I was using the tracking feature to see where he was.
Features My Son Loved the Most
I asked my son what his favorite parts of the watch are, beyond having more independence and he, like the kid he is, said:
I like the activity tracker. It’s fun to try to have a goal to reach for activity and get rewards when you complete certain things. There’s a cool planetary alignment feature where you can track the movement of the planets. And I like the easy communication with my family. Today, my dad was late picking me up and I was able to text both my parents, “Where are you?” Also, Memojis are cool. You can even have your Memoji wear a mask.
Calls and texts with family and friends: My mom put people like my grandma, aunts and uncles and even my cousins in California, on my contact list so I can check in with them sometimes without having to make a call on. my mom’s phone.
Conclusion
We’ll reluctantly send back this trial Apple Watch and I have to say, we’re putting it on the birthday wishlist now. Just a few weeks giving this new Family Setup a try and we are happy to see how much it’s allowed us to stay in touch, but not too in touch with a device that doesn’t distract with lots of screen-time. Unlike a phone, this watch isn’t heavy on the screen/game features (there are some) which for us is a win. Yes, the price-tag is higher than what you’d consider for a kid, but I do think it’s actually worth paying for, and the cost to add it to our plan is way more affordable than adding an additional line. Definitely worth considering for any parent who wants the right balance between freedom and worry.
Family Setup is supported in Apple Watch Series 4 or later with cellular, including the new Apple SE
My phone is no longer mine. Has this happened to anyone else? Perhaps this is how my own mother felt when she picked up the wall-mounted phone with the cord that could reach any room in the house, only to hear my voice chatting away with a friend. Remember those days? When we all shared one home phone? As a child, I would frequently visit a friend whose mother lived on her phone. I would wait and wait to make a call to my parents to ask for a ride home. These days, as a ten-year-old, I would probably have my own cell phone. I would text my mom and Uber home. Sadly, even though I am now a woman who is far closer to 40 than to 30, I am still waiting to use the phone.
This phenomenon of gradual takeover is not limited to my phone, and I am convinced that it is not limited to me. Quick poll – how many of you have lost one of the following to your child…or pet…or partner (comment on the post below):
Bathroom privacy
Hairbrush
Kitchen (now in near-fulltime use by one of your children intent on becoming a sous chef by age 10)
Bedroom privacy
Bed
Hidden candy stash (surely I am not the only one with this, right? Help a girl out here!)
But until recently, my phone was sacrosanct. My island in a sea of concessions. The home of my Instagram account, my text messages, and my contacts. My husband and I are Gen Xers floundering our way through a world filled with TikTok, Snapchat, and Twitter (we have accounts on none of these). We adore our screens and simultaneously despise them. They allow us to reach the world, but they also allow the world to reach us. We have tried to comb through as much of the latest parenting advice and pediatric research available on the use of screens by young children. After these sessions, we leave convinced that children both need their own phone and should never be allowed to use their own phone. Definitely not in their bedroom, not without filters, not after 10 pm, not unsupervised, not with anyone we do not know. And yet, having a phone builds independence, resilience, and technological savvy. Our heads spin.
Grasping at any kind of number, we settled on age 13 as a good age to bestow these technological wonders upon our progeny. I know – gasp! – how could they possibly wait that long?! What kind of parents ARE they? This post is not intended to be an essay on the benefits of “waiting till 8” (as in eighth grade) or any other program for managing children’s screen time. I tell you this number only to explain that none of our children have a phone because none of them are 13…yet. However, the age restriction has not stopped them from using my phone ALL. THE. TIME.
It began with daily SportsCenter checks, courtesy of our oldest. It followed with text messages and phone calls from the friends of our two oldest children. And then, the COVID-19 pandemic hit. The world changed, and so did my phone. While on lockdown, my phone acquired Zoom, Duo, Meet, Marco Polo, and countless other apps that allowed my children to connect with their friends. All of our family, my husband and I included, were longing for meaningful connections with friends. So, I arranged Zoom meetings for my kids, then my phone began to disappear for hours as they shared Marco Polo videos back and forth with their friends. Just last week, a FaceTime call came through on my phone. I was excited. Then I answered. “Hello, Mrs. Morris, we wanted to FaceTime [(our son)] while we all played Fortnite.” Sigh.
Even though my teeth grind and I am frequently exasperated because my phone has “walked off” again, my heart is ultimately full. My kids and I are sharing. We are learning to co-exist, to set boundaries, and to think of each other first. Because of my phone, I am involved in my kids’ lives. I know their friends and their habits, their favorite apps and which photos they have taken. Sharing my phone may be difficult, but it is rewarding; it builds another layer of connection between us.
Tomorrow, when my notifications pop up with yet another Polo from “sisters4ever,” my heart will smile as I hand my phone to my pre-teen daughter. I am sharing the phone with my family, 2020 style.
Scientist by training, lover of books and writing and learning by nature. Wife to a talented husband, mom of three children. Proud to call the Rocket City home (Huntsville, Alabama). Pursuing my love of creative writing by writing about everything from school buses to the latest in pandemic schooling.
Your little one’s favorite Llama is back and he’s getting a babysitter. For years Anna Dewdney’s Llama Llama books have been helping kids work through different milestones. Llama Llama Meets the Babysitter explores the emotions Llama feels when he finds out he is meeting his babysitter for the first time.
This text, written by the late Anna Dewdney herself, has her signature catchy rhymes that are always fun to read aloud. JT Morrow’s stunning illustrations capture Dewdney’s signature style and bring Llama’s drama to life.
All kids experience their first time being left with a babysitter and it can be scary if they don’t understand what is happening. Llama is no different. Mama Llama is going out and instead of staying with Gram and Grandpa someone new is coming over. The more he thinks about it, the more he worries. When the doorbell rings and he sees that it is Molly from the ice cream store (and she brought ice cream) he realizes that having a new babysitter isn’t nearly as bad as he thought.
Llama Llama Meets the Babysitter is filled with colorful illustrations and fun-to-read rhymes which are full of humor and comfort (and a happy ending!) There’s a Llama Llama book for every possibly scary situation so kids will never feel alone.
Llama Llama Meets the Babysitter will be released May 4, 2021 and is available for preorder.
You know how it goes: Dinner was a fiasco, bathtime was a struggle, and the littles refused to put on PJs and brush their teeth. You finally got them ready, but now it’s past their bedtime, and it’s pretty much your bedtime, too.
As you’re tucking your child into bed, your eyes are drooping, your body is half-wilted. You are mentally snuggling into your own bed and letting the sweet, sweet wave of sleep wash over you.
And then comes the request: “Book! Read! Please!”
Now, I’m a full-time librarian and a mom, and storytime and reading before bed has pretty much always been my favorite time of day with my kid. Time stands still when I get to cozy up with my munchkin and talk about words, illustrations, and meanings. And I get to break out all of my character voices and listen to her try to repeat them.
But there have been several times in the past year where I have fallen asleep while reading in a (terrible) British accent, only to wake up to a small, worried voice saying, ‘Mom. Mom. Mom?’
Mummy is tired. Oh, so tired. So tired that she was reading with her eyes closed.
But, as they say in the children’s librarian business, the (storytime) show must go on. Especially since educators and scientists tell us how important it is to read to kids every day. It’s impossible not to feel guilty saying no to a read-aloud.
So how can you break through the guilt and exhaustion and go on with the storytime show? Keep reading for some tried-and-true shortcuts for bedtime read-alouds on the days when you can barely keep your eyes open.
1. Insist on choosing the book.
That’s right–the grownup gets to choose! Now, choose the shortest one you can find. Maybe you already do the choosing, but it’s a tip worth repeating: Kids will pretty much agree to anything in order to be read to and snuggled with.
2. Edit the story.
If your kiddo insists on choosing the book, you can save some energy by just reading the important stuff on the page. And sometimes it’s easier to ask your child a question about the illustration or photo. You can do this with just about any book—find a great photo or illustration and discuss, flip, repeat.
3. Ask them to read it.
Unfortunately, even the littlest kids will call you out if you try to ‘edit’ a favorite book that you’ve read a bazillion times. If they do, ask them to tell the story, or take turns telling the story and flipping the pages.
4. Choose readers or board books.
Instead of a long picturebook, try another format, like beginning readers or board books—you know, the books with great illustrations and (most importantly) one line of text per page? There are even abbreviated versions of longer picture books that are published as board books and readers. Even if your child isn’t quite at the learning-to-read stage, you can’t miss with these formats.
Go for some superhero beginning readers with really simple text, or try the quick and easy science and nonfiction readers. I had a really good run with an abbreviated board book (the books with cardboard pages) version of Go, Dog, Go!.
5. Giggle over a book with sensory elements.
They’ll become so engrossed with lifting flaps, poking at textures, pressing buttons, and turning chunky cardboard pages that you can save your energy for staying awake. Just the act of flipping pages in itself is an important part of early learning.
6. Skip the book and ‘talk’ or sing.
When my daughter was a toddler, she really loved to ‘chat’ right before falling asleep. The chatter would go on and on and on. I used to tell her to be quiet and go to sleep, but then I realized that she was putting herself to sleep by babbling. So I started babbling along with her.
Now that she’s older, she’s interested in a real conversation or a song. So, instead of reading, sometimes we sing Beatles songs, Hamilton songs or just talk about the day’s events.
7. Snuggle on the couch.
If you’re like me, then you’re prone to falling asleep in your kiddo’s bed while reading and then stumbling back to your own bed at 2 am. Try a storytime on the couch or in a comfy chair instead of in the bed. If you aren’t in bed, it’s possible your body won’t think it’s time to go to sleep.
Take it from a librarian: It’s okay to break the storytime rules. Even if you’re wiped out, there are so many different ways to enjoy words and pictures with your little one. If you’re feeling guilty about not reading every day for an hour, just remember that any amount of time you spend talking, singing, playing or reading together will have a positive effect on your child.
Erica J. Thatcher, MLIS, is a library professional and a mom. She also runs a side hustle from her website, writing and editing content for print and for the Web. When she’s not wearing those hats, she’s a watercolor enthusiast, guitar player, gardener, reader, foodie and sewer.
The year 2020 has brought us to a bittersweet holiday season. The global pandemic prevents us from gathering with loved ones, and yet these hardships show us, now more than ever, how important we are to each other.
Fortunately, we have access to technology that allows us to communicate with family and friends when we can’t be together. Here we offer four of the most accessible and versatile tech tools for connecting with others during the winter holidays and beyond. And some of them can be found in your pocket!
1. Shake Up Your Video Calls
You’re probably already experienced with using video tools like Zoom or FaceTime to communicate with family and friends. It’s time to get creative and add a new venue to your calls.
Take it outdoors. Plan a family walk where everyone in your extended family logs into a video call from their favorite park or scenic location. Take a moment to share each of your views and then switch to audio-only as you all take in some fresh air and exercise.
Get in the kitchen. Schedule a family video call during dinner prep or while each of you prepares a special family recipe. If one member of the family is known for their cooking expertise, have them lead the session, just like your favorite Food Network shows.
2. Send Funny Texts
If you own a smartphone, you probably already have some experience sending funny and random texts to friends and family. You can take your texting to the next level by adding some friendly competition.
Text a family holiday scavenger hunt. Make a shortlist of funny, pretty, or interesting things to look for around the house or in the neighborhood. Send out the list to family members via text and you’re off! First-person or team to text a photo of every item on the list wins. Sample items might include:
Lighted candles visible through a window
A wreath on a door made with real branches
Holiday lights that look like icicles
A bigger-than-life inflatable Santa
3. Play Intergenerational Games
Many digital games allow participants to play from any location. Look for intergenerational games that can be enjoyed by children and adults. UNO is a popular card game that can be played online or through an app. Checkers and backgammon are other classic game options.
The game of chess is hot these days, due to the popularity of the Netflix miniseries The Queen’s Gambit. Your family may enjoy playing digital chess via a website or app.
Family members in different locations can visit Britannica.com and take a trivia quiz together. Connect via an audio or video call and then either share a screen or click on the same quiz and read the questions out loud. Take turns picking favorite topics such as sports, travel, or history.
4. Create Personalized eCards
Many popular eCard sites like Hallmark, Blue Mountain, or American Greetings offer the option of uploading a photo to add to the card. Instead of a family photo (or in addition to), you could send an image of your child’s artwork. Invite your child to create a special work of art to share with family, take a digital photo with your phone, and upload the image to the eCard. The novelty of sending a child’s original artwork will please both the little artist and the recipients.
And finally, websites like Jib Jab and Elf Yourself offer fun and silly options for family eCards. These sites allow you to upload images of family members’ faces to create one-of-a-kind animated videos.
We’re living in a time when it’s nearly impossible to distinguish fact from fiction. Parents need information they trust to help them make good decisions about raising their curious learners. Britannica for Parents provides safe and credible resources to empower all kids and parents and inspire curiosity for generations to come.
With a holiday season unlike any other, we need to get creative with our gift giving. A brand new app called Goody, a first-of-its-kind gifting concierge is designed to make the art of gifting a seamless and genuinely enjoyable experience for both the gift giver and recipient. Giving a gift can be as easy as sending a text, plus you even get to see the recipient open it.
Goody’s curated list of on-trend, best-in-class vendors takes the stress out of browsing and ensures a variety of quality gift options.
Here’s how it works:
Sender:
Download the Goody app
Choose your gift
Enter your recipient’s phone number
Draft a note + send!
Recipient:
Receives a text
Via web browser, opens a beautiful, digital gift unwrapping with the personalized note
Inputs address + accepts!
The sender is notified and credit card is charged only when the gift is accepted.
It’s hard to break the news that you won’t be home for the holidays this year. According to a recent study by Hotwire 80% of Americans are planning on altering or cancelling their holiday travel plans. The online travel site wants to do something to help make things up to your loved ones who will be missing you this year.
Telling your mom that you won’t be making the trek home has to be one of the hardest parts cancelling your travel plans. Nearly one in three of Americans dread breaking the news to loved ones, with 28% noting they’re procrastinating picking up the phone as long as possible, at least until mid-December.
Hotwire is launching its “Happy Next Holiday” generator and giveaway, to take some of the pressure off letting your loved ones know you can’t travel home this year. To make it up to them, the travel brand is giving one participant the ultimate “IOU” trip worth $25,000 for the whole family to enjoy when they’re ready to reunite and get back to traveling! Hotwire will cover travel expenses like flights and hotel. Plus, since experiences are what make a family reunion one to remember, they’re throwing in $15,580 in cash so you can make up for those activities missed in 2020.
For a little extra comic relief, Hotwire will help the winner remind Mom (or whoever they’re letting down this year) that they still love them, even from a distance. They’ll create a personalized can’t-miss billboard, flyover plane banner or equivalent somewhere your loved one will be sure to notice.
Head to happynextholidays.hotwire.com and follow the prompts to create your ‘Happy Next Holidays’ message. Messages are created when you complete and submit the registration form to enter Hotwire’s Happy Next Holidays Sweepstakes. Select how you’d like Hotwire to generate the news for you: email, text message, postcard or share to social.
The first 100 participants will also receive a special coupon to apply toward future travel on Hotwire.
“We know that this year has been tough on everyone, to say the least, and people are really feeling the stress as we head into the holiday season — a time that under normal circumstances, we reunite with family and friends from around the country,” said Nick Graham, head of Hotwire. “While a trip home might not be in the cards this year, we’re committed to giving travelers something to look forward to and a little comic relief in the meantime. Hotwire’s awesome deals will be there for you when you’re ready to get back out there!”
Last night, it hit me—three days to go, and I finally let myself feel who and how much will be missing from our Thanksgiving this year. After a good cry and a stuff-nosed night’s sleep, I woke up, looked at my kids and decided it was time to try to make the best of it.
For many of us, Thanksgiving traditions are on pause this year. Even though one study showed that 40% of Americans say they’ll be attending a Thanksgiving of more than 10 people, 60% of us won’t. And many people in that 60% will be missing at least someone, if not multiple someones they hold dear.
Having to choose between family togetherness and the safety of the people we most treasure is yet another heavy hit from the pandemic. But, as we learned with Halloween, new constraints, even ones that weigh heavy on our hearts, can force us to focus the parts of a holiday that truly matter. And, they can even inspire new, lasting traditions.
No matter how or with whom you’re celebrating this Thanksgiving, here are some easy, last-minute ways to infuse it with a little extra meaning and connection:
1. Create “Thank You” Art. Put out art supplies and paper and start talking with kids about all the people you are thankful for. Include family you love, friends and even people in your neighborhood or community who add to your life in big or small ways. Make thank you cards or pictures for some of those people and help kids express why they feel gratitude towards each person. Deliver locally bound “thank you” art as part of your day, or address and mail them as soon as you can.
2. Make a Gratitude Pumpkin. Grab a pumpkin and use a marker to cover it with words and pictures expressing what you’re grateful for. Display in your home, reflect on it as a family, and keep adding to it. If your child is too young to write, welcome them to dictate their ideas to you or let them draw designs that make them feel thankful.
Don’t have a pumpkin? Use any squash; draw or cut out a paper pumpkin; draw a simple turkey, then add a feather for each thing you’re grateful for; cut strips of paper and link them in a paper chain.
3. Build a Thankful Tree. Create a family tree of thanks by securing a handful of sticks into a vase or bucket. Welcome everyone in the family to write or draw something they are thankful for on various paper leaves and hang them on the tree. Then, read them together at the dinner table. Read more about this activity here.
4. Get Outdoors. Build-in time to go for a walk, slow down, and just sense the world around you. If you have a lantern or even a flashlight handy, take an after-dinner lantern walk to experience that quiet beauty of night time outside. Nature is calming and gives us so much to marvel and feel grateful for. While you are walking, wonder about the Native people who have cared for the land.
5. Take a Virtual Turkey Trot. Exercise helps boost our moods, and sharing in a sporty activity can add fun to the day, too. Welcome everyone you know and love who likes to walk or run and commit to a certain distance, like a 5K, you’ll cover together virtually. Or, meet up for a safe, distanced run with nearby friends. To connect with loved ones far away, set up a group text to share photos of your start and finish, cheering each other on. Get kids involved too, adjusting the distance as needed.
6. Flood Your Family Feed with Love. On Thursday, kick-off a flood of love and gratitude with the family and friends you most hold dear. Start by sending a group text that reads something like this:
“Hello, all! We want to start a chain of gratitude, sharing with each other all we are grateful. We’ll kick it off, and then you can reply with what you are thankful for to help keep the chain going!”
Then, follow up with a text that includes quotes from you and your kids about what you’re most grateful for. Include text, videos or photos knowing each one will boost the spirits of everyone on the chain.
If you are careful about where and how you share photos of your kiddos, try a group text or other social platform like these.
7. “Grateful for You” Videos. Let your phone video camera roll as you film you and your kids talking about why you are grateful for someone special in your life. Asking kids why they are thankful for a Nana, an uncle, or a dear friend can inspire some of the sweetest footage—footage that will brighten that person’s Thanksgiving and become a treasured memory for all involved. It can help to prep little kids before you start to film by saying things like, “What are all of the special things Mimi does for us?” Or “What are some things we love most about Mimi—the things that make us thankful for her?”
8. Get Together Online. During all of this, we are awfully lucky to have technology that allows us to come together virtually, bridging distances and viruses. It’s amazing, really. Pick a time on Thursday to get family and friends you’re missing on a video conference platform, and share some joy. Embrace the challenges and do your best to help the less tech-savvy, remembering that it’s really all about seeing one another and being together on the screen.
If you want to spark conversation a bit, welcome people to share what they are grateful for. Ask folks what they are cooking for dinner. Tell favorite family stories or share a few holiday jokes. If your family has favorite songs, play them and dance or sing them out, even if the audio is wonky. Three cheers to Zoom for relaxing its 40-minute limit on all free accounts on Thanksgiving Day we can whatever time we want connecting safely.
After 18 years as an educator, curriculum developer and school leader, Meghan has her dream gig—an entrepreneur/educator/mom who helps families everywhere, including hers, learn outside. Today, Meghan serves as co-founder and Chief Learning Officer of Tinkergarten, the national leader in outdoor play-based learning.
