Wasn’t it just over a month ago when we were worried about the time change and losing an hour? Fast forward a few weeks and now there are times that I don’t even know what day it is. Which brings us to our new reality for the next little while, with all of us doing our part to help flatten the curve.
Some are essential workers, braving the world every day helping to keep it running for the rest of us (thank you from the bottom of my heart)! Some of us are working from home, some of us home-schooling, some of us doing both, and many of us are just trying to get through each day the best we can.
In our home, we’re maintaining a nice middle ground. There are no coloured charts with carefully slotted schedules, but we’re also trying to keep Lord of the Flies from happening. We keep what I like to call a “loose” schedule, which ironically, is the exact opposite of what is happening with my pants during self-isolation.
Despite the challenges, how do we continue to keep our kids active (both physically and mentally) during this time and stay connected to our friends and loved ones?
The way we stay connected in 2020 is definitely through technology. My love for Samsung goes back quite a few years as I have been a longtime Samsung Galaxy smartphone user. I’m also a big fan of the Galaxy Tab A 10.1. I trust these products because I’ve had such positive experiences with them and they have stood the test of time, so my family and I are relying on Samsung Galaxy devices to have fun, stay in touch, and of course, continue to learn.
Now, I don’t know about you, but my kids definitely have more screen time now than they did before being self-isolated. The problem with screen time for younger kids isn’t simply the amount of time, but striking a good balance between education and entertainment.
Enter the Samsung Kids+ App. Along with my Galaxy Tab A 10.1, my kids can get unlimited access to over 10,000 hours of books, educational movies, as well as learning content that is broken up into six subjects (math, science, reading and language, social studies, art, and critical thinking). Know what they can’t access? The internet. Parents can also track their child’s progress and screen time as they learn and since the content is refreshed on a weekly basis, they’re constantly taking in something new. You can try it out with a free 30-day trial¹ on your Samsung Galaxy device. Plus, the Galaxy Tab A 10.1 has an amazing immersive display and a long battery life² meaning no interruptions!
My favourite reading/writing activity is the story my family is currently creating. On our Galaxy Tablet, I wrote the line “once upon a time there was…”
Each day everyone in the family has to add to it. The only rule is whatever the next person adds has to make sense with what happened previously. With Samsung Kids+ games that encourage creativity, my children’s additions to “once upon a time there was….” are sure to surprise us.
Another great idea is to have your kids document daily life. It’s not often that you’re living through a moment that could make the history books. They can create a video diary on their Galaxy Tablet to look back at later in life and remember. The Galaxy Tab A 10.1 has an 8 Megapixel camera, so even your little ones can shoot home videos and share with loved ones. With the large and easy-to-view display, you can review and edit videos as a family. It also has a 2GB RAM and 32GB ROM storage, so it can hold a lot of your takes, including the funny blooper reel.
The Galaxy Tab A 10.1 isn’t just a wonderful device when it comes to education. It’s also great for having a good time! The fun doesn’t end with the hours of games available – it’s the key to virtual playdates! Since staying in touch with friends and family is so important, the kids can use the device for video chats with their BFFs, cousins and grandparents.
It’s especially important for parents to be active too. It helps burn off stress and there is an abundance of stress these days, AMIRIGHT? I’ve joined a virtual running group which holds me accountable for doing a daily run and I’m also a big believer in tracking my workouts with a fitness tracker, which I can do with my Galaxy Watch Active2.
The Samsung Health app provides a range of fitness programs tailored to different needs, including stretching, toning, and endurance building. As an added bonus the watch also measures your sleep and can take you through guided breathing and meditation with the Calm app³ (which has come in really handy during bedtime). A great way to use the watch when you’re with your kids is by playing a game of Dance Freeze! You can pause, play and skip songs with the flick of your wrist - all while staying connected to your emails, calls, texts and calendar.
Last but not least, make sure everyone gets quiet time each day. We all need a bit of a break to calm our minds and having a block of quiet time will do wonders for your mental health. The Galaxy Buds+ really help shut out the noise around me thanks to its 2 outer mics which work together with the inner mic to block out surrounding sounds⁴. I can get immersed in a podcast without distraction, all while the kids are reading a story on the Samsung Kids+ app. The Buds+ give 11 hours of uninterrupted listening time on a single charge, which can extend up to 22 total hours with the charging case.
At the end of the day, just remember, you know what’s best for your family and we’re going to get through this. Together.
Samsung also offers 0% financing for 12, 24 or 36 months on select online purchases, giving you some added flexibility⁵.
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