COVID-19 lockdown Do’s and Don’t for families
COVID-19 lockdown is in progress, school is out and children are at home. So what are the do’s and don’t of this health crisis.
New Year hopes and dreams seem to be a distant memory, as we are living in very uncertain times due to COVID-19. A few months ago COVID-19 lockdown was something that we never actually believed would happen. It has separated families. Left many people stranded all over the world with no means to return home.
Parents are now faced with having to not only homeschool their children but to work from home simultaneously. Huge financial difficulties lay ahead for people.. Incomes have been lost, profits depleted and jobs paused.
COVID-19 lockdown
Our lockdown started at 8.30 pm on Monday the 23rd of March. People’s movements have been limited and people told to stay at home to help save our NHS. Many will say the Boris Johnson has not been strict enough. Many will say that he is holding back vital testing for frontline staff.
But the truth is never has a Prime Minister in our history faced the pandemic that Boris Johnson is facing. Not one person among us can honestly say they could do a better job. We are all struggling to deal with the possibilities of losing loved ones or even becoming ill ourselves.
What should we be doing – The do’s
First of all, we should all be following government guidelines on social distancing. We should also be staying at home and helping to stop the spread of this virus. But then what….well we all need to take a breath and a step back!
Consider the following DO give yourself a break. Boris Johnson is not the only one facing a pandemic for the first time. We need to allow ourselves the time to embrace our new way of life – all be it temporary.
DO sit and chat with your children about what is going on in the world. It’s better for them to hear it from you rather than the news. It will help put their minds at rest. It will also give them the opportunity to ask any questions they may have.
DO make sure you keep in contact with family. We are fortunate that we have fantastic technology, Facebook, video calling and Zoom. These help us stay in touch with the people we love even when we are separated!! this will help pass the day for not just your children but the family they can not be with at the moment.
At the end of the day pour yourself a big glass of wine and be so damn proud that you made it through the day. It may not have been perfect but who cares!
What Should We Not be Doing – The Don’t
DO NOT stress about homeschooling. You are not a teacher. There is no way on earth that you can recreate a classroom setting. I am not saying do not teach your children but there are other ways to do it.
If you have a little one who is learning numbers or letter recognition. Let them draw them in chalk, paint them or draw them in the sand. If your children are learning about animals there are some fantastic websites available. Chester Zoo now has a live link to their animals, where you can watch them being fed and learn about the individual animal.
DO NOT worry about household chores. The dishes are not done or the laundry isn’t folded as it usually is (really who does this). It is a time for reflection, to enjoy the time we have with our families.
Finally, COVID-19 lockdown lifted
And when we finally have our lives back. When COVID-19 is in the past. The first thing we should do is embrace our parents, grandparents, friends or neighbours. Enjoy a simple walk in the park when you can greet another human being with not only a smile but share a conversation where you can stand shoulder to shoulder. Where the only people needing to wear gloves and masks are Doctors, Nurses or Dentists
The human race is an amazing species. We have overcome so much in our time on this earth and I have no doubt we will overcome again. But what will be the cost? How many lives will be lost? How much debt will the country be in by the end of it?
We will never again be the same, lives have been changed, paths altered. But what I do know is that we will owe a debt of gratitude to all our amazing frontline staff from Doctors, Nurses, Shop workers, Lorry drivers and many many more!
