There is so much that parents can accomplish while families are in these unique "lock down" situations.

You all are very lucky.  I hope that you understand that.  You may never again have such an opportunity to teach your own children; to influence your children.  You may never again have these chances to correct mistakes the schools have made; to fill any gaps that schools have left.

Recently, a young mother expressed her pleasure at having this time with her children.  "I absolutely LOVE my time teaching my children.  This week, we cleaned up their problems with telling time, and with making change."    Right!  This is a time when you can focus on things that your children are missing in school.

Multiplication:  Your child may be like thousands of others who are taught to "memorize the multiplication facts" without having been taught the rationale and thinking processes behind multiplication.  Such narrow instruction limits the flexibility of the brain for future problem solving.  Here are things that I do when I teach, or remediate, multiplication skills:

1)  Cut the cover off an empty carton of eggs.  Instantly you have a great tool with which to teach multiplication up through "twelve-sies".  Add a pile of dry beans, or buttons, or whatever small things you have.  A really fun aspect of this type of teaching is that school children of all ages can be part of learning the concept of multiplication.