Life Lately … COVID 19 Our New Normal

I think like many people I didn’t really understand that how serious this dreaded virus was. I denied that it would cross our boarders and we would end up following the paths of China, Italy and Spain and having our freedom compromised in lockdown to ensure the safety of our family friends and loved ones.

When Friday 20th March came and my sons Primary School started sending home school work supplies I knew I could no longer hide.

I also knew life as we knew it would never be the same again. 

Initially I had thought that everything this virus would do would be bad but after declaring a soft lockdown on Monday 23rd March. However this week I have been trying to find the positives in this lockdown has brought.

Over the last year Ollie and I have seen so many things with our kids that have bewildered us. Like discovering our 8 year old can in fact not work a normal telephone! He didn’t know how to make a call to someone who didn’t see your name flash up on a screen or presume you would know who was calling.

We have probably over parented our kids and not allowed them to learn the things we did as kids nor taught them the things we were taught as they are surrounded by a digital world. This time in lockdown we have been using this time to show and teach our kids the things we did and the things we learnt. 

This week we have taken our foot of the gas, we have not ‘home schooled’ the kids we took the first half of the week just adjusting to the new norm of being in the house and got some jobs done and just spent time being together. 

The rest of the week we had some screen time, some cookies, some films and much more shouting than I would have liked all topped off with a giant portion of tears all round. 

But we have started this week well. There is currently school work being undertaken. I have done some nail art pops for my ‘other’ work (while I have no clients and I am in lockdown) and there has been some cleaning out of cupboards, drawers and shelves. 

The kids have spent a fair amount of time in the garden but I must admit the biggest change for me specifically is the amount of time I have been offline. 

Having a blog and social channels means when I am not creating beautiful nails for folks then I am online sharing, chatting and reading. After recent events I have decided that on the whole social media is nightmare in a crisis. The scaremongering is rife and there are so many ‘perfect’ parents out there that are nailing the whole home schooling thing with red pens and planners. I am totally not one of those parents and if I can keep the kids alive, happy and healthy I am totally winning in my book. 

I am not going to homeschool the kids to within an inch of their lives I am doing a fixed 2 hours everyday and then the kids are free to do other things like baking .. but only from a packet mix .. I am not that good! and they are going to do some outdoor things like chalk drawing on the patio.

Social Media is also making me rage with the amount of people who think they have to take photos of their helping others … Just help someone no one needs a status update with a smug photo. Just help your friends and neighbours. 

Also while I am on my soap box about social media. Clapping. Clapping on a Thursday night at 8pm. Maybe I am a mardy begger but I don’t adhere to this you much clap to appreciate the NHS  and front line workers. Well, not only do I have every appreciation for them and I also didn’t wonder off to the coats or a scenic location making their jobs harder this last few weeks. But as long as some of these people got a photo of clapping then thats ok then? NOPE folks I will continue to listen to instructions and follow them, that will show my appreciation by not making their lives harder! (btw, my husband is classed as a key worker) so I don’t need to clap to show my appreciation. 

To all the parents out there that are surviving but not winning at the parenting situation right now I hear you and you are winning in my book and if like me you need some time away from social media then thats perfectly ok too. 

Do what is best for you and yours to get through this physically and mentally. Although make sure you following the government guidelines.