With school and work closures, chances are that you are spending A LOT of time with your kids right now, more than you usually may have to plan for, and it's okay if that's hard! We also know that it's hard for kids as well as they find their schedules disrupted and deal with their own loss of social interactions.
Here you'll find a compiled list of kid-friendly resources that hopefully give you some ideas and tools for engaging with your children in these unusual times, and give your ideas for at-home activities that can include the whole family or keep your kids entertained so you can get your work done. We will be continually adding to this, so check back in regularly if you need more! 1. Illustrated Ministry: Free Weekly Faith Formation Resources for all ages. 2.. Virtual Field Trips: There are a lot of great online field trips, like the ones below!
4. Busy Toddler: Realistic parenting during COVID-19, help with activities, schedules, and planning. 5. Indoor Games and Activities to Get Children Moving by Big Life Journal 6. Scholastic Magazines for Kids 7. Lakeshore Learning Material- Free learning resource 8. April 3rd Disney-Sing-Along Accordion Concert Live Stream! Do you know your next door neighbors? I know some of them well enough to know who lives there, but I confess, that I don’t know all of them. With everybody working different hours and spending less time in our yards and more time online, we don’t run into each other as often as we did when I was growing up. As an introvert, I love being able to come home and talk to no one, but while people are staying home to slow down the spread of CoronaVirus, I’m concerned that some of our most vulnerable folks might need someone to check on them. So here are some ideas about who you should check in with and how to do it safely! Make contact safely with neighbors, family or friends:
guest post from Pastor Heather at Oak Grove UMCThe world is not ending.
But. We are now officially in a time of global pandemic. The last truly global pandemic was the Spanish Flu of 1918. A lot has happened since then- we have the technology available to get the word out faster, but we also have the technology available to spread angst, misinformation, guesstimations, and worry. It seems like a Catch-22. In light of that, let’s offer some grounding for the state we find ourselves in. Recommendations in a time of Coronavirus First, Governor Brown issued the following recommendations/statement this morning, March 12th. Here are some highlights of the recommendations from the statement
Caring for the Vulnerable Also from Governor Brown's office: "Individuals in high-risk populations (those over 60 years of age, or those with an underlying health condition) should avoid social and community gatherings of more than ten (10) people, for four weeks (through April 8, 2020).” For us here in Milwaukie/Oak Grove, that means that a lot of our colleagues in faith communities are facing the decision of canceling their worship gatherings from now until Easter. Storyline Community has canceled our Sunday gathering, as have our partner communities at Oak Grove UMC and Milwaukie Lutheran. It means we’re going to need to be mindful of our at-risk populations and neighbors such as:
Connection in a time of Coronavirus All of this means we’re going to need to learn how to stay connected with one another in creative ways. The CDC is recommending the practice of social distancing, this includes canceling unnecessary meetings, dates, and social engagements where a 3-foot distance cannot be kept. Be looking here, at our blog, for links to grounding conversations that we’re hoping to host via ZOOM and tips for how to consider reaching out to your neighbors and family in the coming weeks. Click here for some tips/specifics on healthy social distancing. What's next for us? Looking ahead, it’s going to also mean we find creative ways to Sabbath and remind ourselves that it’s ok even in the midst of a world that often operates at breakneck speed to slow down and stay home, or at least keep to outside spaces where you have the option to keep your distance. Going for walks is still ok. Taking care of yourself is super important. We’re also going to dig into some ways to help continue conversations online about best practices for mental and emotional health. In the meantime, keep yourself informed. We recommend the source material: https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html |
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February 2021
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