Mindfulness Monday - School's Out on the 14th of September

This Monday, 14 September, is a school holiday and we would like to propose a no screen day to counteract the amount of screen time we are all having in the current situation.  A well overdue ‘Mindfulness Monday’ is needed for our students and teachers – and most likely for our parents as well.

Screen time for children in the age group of 5 to 15 years has risen by 100% since the first lockdown. According to a survey by OLX India, 84% of parents are worried about the increase in screen time for children due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the new normal of school and social life. For some children and young people feelings of isolation, anxiousness, boredom and uncertainty have been creeping in.  Moreover, they may feel afraid and concerned about how the virus could or possibly has affected their families. Therefore, it is important that we take time with our families and loved ones and openly communicate about any concerns about world that we have found ourselves in.

It is certain that your child is spending far more time online than they would have before the outbreak of the virus and the closing down of physical school.  Lessons, meetings and chats with family and friends have all moved online. Undoubtedly being connected helps children and teenagers reduce the impact of the isolation felt during the pandemic, but this again amounts to further screen time.

So, it is our recommendation that our students and staff have a complete break from schoolwork on Monday, where at all possible.  It is not always about the quantity of time we spend on our studies, but the quality of work produced.  Having a break from work can significantly increase productivity.

Here are a few suggestions on activities that you could do together with your child:

    • Go for a family walk – to keep safe wear masks, keep your social distance and making sure to wash your hands or sanitise.
    • Read a book – a real one, not on a Kindle!
    • Listen to music, an audiobook or a podcast – outside if possible.
    • Cook together – it is an essential life skill for boys and girls to learn and can be great fun done together as a family. 
    • Try your hand at art and craft such as jewellery making or origami.
    • Play a family board game together – it is both fun and social.
    • Exercise or meditate together (for examples, see: The Fitness Handbook, COVID Fit Club and The Book of Wellness).

For even more examples of exercises that you can do together as a family, The WHO has put together a series of exercises to help in the day-to-day physical and mental activation. 

It can be difficult to escape the screens, because we are now programmed to access all information this way. If you are unable to find the time to take your children outside, or find yourself unable to get them and yourself away from the screens, there are other ways.

Try and connect as a family with other family members or friends online through a group meeting. Play an online game together, do online dancing and exercise, listen to a book, or watch a film or TV series as a family. This is also an excellent opportunity to find out about children’s online behaviour, as well as model good and safe online behaviour to your children. Most importantly is staying together –  sharing togetherness – even though it is through virtual interactions.

In partnership with the UNICEF and WHO, IPA (International Publishers Association) has put together ‘Read the World’; a book club to encourage children and young people to interact with the principles of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through a curated reading list of key children’s books related to each of the 17 SDGs. The United Nations World Food Programme has put together an online game: ‘Free Rice’ to learn about topics and subjects, such as English and Corona Virus Facts. These are just a few good online resources you can use, if you have to be connected.

TISB will be going social media free on Monday, and will be back again on Tuesday with our regular assembly. Enjoy your Mindfulness Monday – together.