CREATE A FAMILY SCHEDULE  
There will be more peace in your home if the children know what the schedule is for the day.  If you need to work from home, schedule the children for quiet time or screen time for you to have work time.  Below is what needs to be included in your schedule:

Meal times: 
Now is a great time to teach your children how to plan a meal schedule, make a grocery list, go shopping, make the meal, set the table, clean up.  Inculde someone leading meal time blessing.  Turn off TV and have conversation.  At dinner time you could include the Rose Reflection.  This is when each person gets an opportunity to share the answer to 3 questions:  What was your Rose today? (something you were excited about or happy about)  What was a thorn?  (something you wish had not happened or something that made you sad or angry)  What is your bud? (What are you looking forward to tomorrow or in the future?)


Chores: 
Since everyone is needing to stay home, your "busy" schedule has now come to a halt.  It's a great time to begin to train children in family chores that you never had the time to teach them before.  Six year olds and up can be instructed on how to do their laundry, dust, vaccuum, clean dishes, etc.  We had a rule in our family that our children were not able to get their driver's license until they were using, on a regular basis, the vacuum, washing machine, dryer, dishwasher, lawn mower, stove, oven, etc.  Basically, we wanted to teach them the ability to use pieces of machinery in the home that they would need to learn in order to take care of themselves when they left our home to live on their own. 

Reading Time: 
We scheduled what we called DEAR (Drop Everything And Read) time.  Going along with getting a Driver's License you could have a certain list of books that your cihldren need to read and report on before they get a Driver's License. Books that assist character formation and encourages a conversation about taking responsibility for their own actions.  A few of the books I would recommend: books by Andy Andrews (The Kid Who Changed the World, The Travelers Gift), John Maxwell (Sometimes You Win, Sometimes You Learn)  John Trent (The Treasure Tree).  

Outside Time/ Energy Burning Time
If the weather is good have the children go out and play or go to a local park.  You could incorporate a picnic lunch in this as well.  (remember to bring hand sanitizer)  If the weather is not good for outside play children still need to burn energy.  Put on some music and have a dance party or aerobic exercise.  Create a sheet that has a list of exercises they have to complete: jumping jacks, running in place, push ups, sit ups, high kicks, etc. 

Board Games/ Card Games 
If you're family has never played cards or board games now is the time to learn! Schedule a time in to play some classics like Go Fish, Crazy Eights, Rummy, etc.  Classic board games for Elementary children could be Junior Scrabbles or Junior Monopoly.  Our new favorite game for the whole family is Qwirkle.  

Screen Time
For years, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommended a maximum of two hours’ screen time a day. Any more, it warned, and your child could get obese, sleep deprived and depressed. Also please monitor what your children are watching and playing.  There are games and shows on screen that are unhealthy and inappropriate for anyone to be playing, especially children.  

Free Time
Make sure you schedule in free time that does not include Screen Time.  What can they do during free time?  Hold a family meeting and brainstorm all of the things your children can do on their own.  (Toys they have, drawing, make a play, etc.)  Once you have the list, write down each item on a small piece of paper until every item is on a separate sheet of paper.  Fold up the papers and put them in a bowl or a box.  We called this the BORED BOX.  I always told my children that "being bored" is a choice.  If they told me they were bored they had to go to the bored box and choose 3 items.  They then had to do one of those items.  Teach your children the ability to find ways to be positively engaged in life that does not include getting on a screen.

Prayer Time
Since your home you may want to have a morning prayer reflection time as well as a bedtime prayer ritual.  Your morning prayer ritual could be as simple as gathering in a circle and saying, Dear God, thank you for one more day to know You, to love You and to serve You!  May my thoughts, my words and my actions show your love to myself, my family and everyone and everyone I meet today.  Amen!  Bedtime prayer ritual could be as simple as saying an Our Father, going around and each person saying what they would like to pray for, then close with a Hail Mary and saying a family prayer.  Our family prayer is:  Dear God, grant us the wisdom to discover the right, the will to choose it and the strength to make it endure. Thank you God for one more day!  Amen.  This is also a great time to introduce the Rosary into your family prayer time if you have not already done so.  

STAY POSITIVE AND HOPEFUL.  HAVE AN ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE AS WE WALK THROUGH THIS TEMPORAL AND TEMPORARY OCCURANCE IN THE WORLD....



 

The CMG Safe Haven online training is replacing the VIRTUS training. The training consists of 3 vignette style training videos that is approximately 60 minutes and will include a criminal background check that must be completed.
These trainings are available in English and Spanish. We will no longer offer live trainings; all Safe Environment trainings will only be available online.

• All new employees and volunteers will complete the Safe Haven online training program instead of VIRTUS PGC training. The turnaround time for approval may be approximately two weeks or less.

• All individuals must complete the training and complete a background check prior to the start of employment and/or volunteer service.
• The 5-year anniversary date is still in place, individuals who recently attended VIRTUS will not be due to complete refresher trainings until they have met their 5-year anniversary date.
• As the 5-year anniversary date is met, individuals will need to log into CMGConnect https://galvestonhouston.cmgconnect.org/ with their previous personal VIRTUS user id and 1234 as the password. Once the individual logs into their CMGConnect account, they will be able to change their password. If they do not remember the user id, they may contact the following:

1.      Joseph A Kramer Jr., Safe Environment Coordinator, at jkramer@stpaulcatholic.org or
         409-218-2585
2.      Daphne Woods at 800.228.6108 ext. 2375 or dwoods@catholicmutual.org  
3.      CMG at cmgconnect@catholicmutual.org

 The following individuals below will now be required to complete Safe Haven online training as well:
1.      Individuals who have never attended training.
2.      Individuals who are currently due for refresher training and had not attended VIRTUS
         training.
3.      Individuals who are currently due and have not attended VIRTUS training.
4.      Individuals who are out of compliance or past due.