Unplanned Homeschool, Making it Easy - er

Here we are well into this unplanned season of social isolation. Not being overly impressed with the way the homeschool community at large, including myself, attempted to "help" all of the people involuntarily homeschooling when everyone was first sent home, I have been hesitant to speak out further on this issue. Not wanting to offer unneeded or unusable resources, I chose instead to offer up prayers for all concerned. While making supper this afternoon however some practical tips came to mind. Hopefully, someone can put some of these to use.

Before I begin sharing, remember that random can be beautiful.

MEALS:

• Plan ahead! Even if you don't stick to the plan, having one saves both time and money in the long run.
• Make your meal plan based on the ingredients you currently have in the house. It lessens overspending and spoilage.
• Stock up on food items that are not only nutritious but can also be used in multiple ways. For example, garbanzo beans (chickpeas) can be made into hummus for snacks or put into soups or salads for both side and main dishes. They also made delicious burgers, with the right recipe. There are many foods that are equally versatile. Those are the ones you want in your cupboards, pantry, and freezer. 
• Relax your meals and think easy. There are quite a few meals that are easy, delicious, nutritious, and quick. They may not be gourmet, but they will satisfy without sacrificing nutrition. Make-your-own type meals where the ingredients are set out buffet style and everyone puts their favorite version together fall into this category. A few examples would be: baked potato bar, salad bar (don't forget to include protein choices), taco bar, nacho bar, make your own pizza. There are many, many more options.
• Consider sheet pan meals where all of the meal cooks together on the same pan. Easy cleanup is a great bonus.
• Don't forget kabobs! The variety of combinations for these are practically endless as are the options for easy sides to eat alongside of them.
• Utilize your slow cooker, instant pot, rice cooker, break machine, and other kitchen appliances to the full. Put those electronic kitchen servants to work! Make them earn the space they take up. 

SCHOOL:

OWN IT! MAKE IT YOURS!

• Whatever your current schooling situation is for your family make it work best for your family, not mine or anyone else's. Feel free to do your own thing your own way for your own family.
•  If you have a required schedule to follow from your school district then by all means follow it, but when you aren't in school, it is still your day to own! So, own it.
• If you do not have a schedule and are completely on your own, relax. Take a deep breath. Let it out. Then:
• Find a great book. Sit down with your children, no matter what their ages, and read the book, OUT LOUD. Make the sound effects. Change your voice for the different characters. Be silly. Be ridiculous. Have fun. And  most importantly, DO IT TOGETHER. When the book is finished, ask the children their favorite part. Here's the hard part: listen to their answer, all the way to the very very end, no matter how agonizingly slow it seems they are answering. 
• If there is something that interested the majority of the children, run with it. Get online and see where the path of interest leads you. Explore every lead! Go out in to your yard! Collect nature specimens. Draw and paint them. Get out the playdough and modeling clay. Make some if you don't have any. Form. Sculpt. Paint. Draw. Find the hammer and nails. Locate the screwdriver and screws. Where is that saw? Build. Sand. Glue. Measure twice then cut. Draw a plan for a birdhouse, bird feeder, wagon, wooden toy, book crate, whatever the book sparked a desire to build, find a simple version to make, and make it.
• Not only will these activities serve as hands on laboratories for learning, but some of them can be used as gifts for grandparents and friends later on throughout the year. The best part is that you and your children will be having fun TOGETHER.
• You can allow the children's interests to spark a multitude of engaging activities while learning the entire time. Take full advantage of such an amazing opportunity. You have no idea when, or if, an opportunity like this will ever come again. 
• Seeing this season of social isolation with our families as a gift instead of a punishment will turn isolation into an unexpected gift to be forever treasured. How many times during busy seasons of intense stress have you longed for a family vacation? Here it is! 
• Not only have we all been given the gift of solitude, we were TOLD to go home and be with our family! No expectations. No comparisons. No pressure. Just time with our families to do whatever is best for us. We can clean, organize, purge, read books, watch movies, play games, create, make movies, sing songs, record songs, record videos, write books, write letters, cook, plant, make Christmas cookies, sing Christmas carols, watch Christmas movies, make Valentine's, color Easter eggs, whatever we want to do. And we can do all of this in our pajamas, if we want to.