Moms and dads, load shedding does not have to be a parent’s nightmare as there are many ways to keep your children occupied when everything goes dark.
Educational psychologist Laetitia Permall gave exciting and creative ways to keep the little ones occupied.
During the day load shedding:
1. Have a picnic outside and get children to enjoy the outdoors. Simple things like sandwiches can be experienced differently when enjoyed in a different setting.
2. Use pencil crayons, colour markers, paint, etc., and tap into your inner child and your child’s creativity (no matter what their age) to draw for someone, make a card, create a Christmas or birthday gift.
3. Create their own storybook or a family story using family photos, etc. These are priceless memories you will all cherish.
4. Read with them. It not only improves their vocabulary and reading skills, but also offers another opportunity to connect.
5. Go for a walk and see what treasures you find in your garden or community.
6. Movement, dance and getting out in the sun are crucial.
7. If possible, get your hands and feet onto grass or in the soil, as research shows the physical and emotional health benefits of connecting with the Earth.
8. Play board games, dominoes or ball games, etc.
9. Water and sand play keep children occupied for a long time.
10. Have a box of old clothes and get children to play dress-up and put on a show.
During load shedding at night:
1. Make an outdoor fire and let the family gather around to sit together.
2. Play 20 questions, games of trivia, or share the experiences of the day with one another.
3. Sit outside and look at the stars or try to identify constellations. This is exciting and gets children to learn more about astronomy. This also settles the body and mind for more peaceful sleep.
“What if, just what if life is trying to slow us down and teach us all to nurture the gift of time we have with each other. Let’s get off the devices that distract us from building better relationships, and rebuild the foundations of family, which is pivotal to building a healthier and happier society,” Permall said.