In last week’s post, I cyber-penned my thoughts on how week one of quarantine had gone with two small kids, we were feeling good! Optimistic even! It went better than expected. Week two of self-isolation was just like week one, but without the novelty, enthusiastic children or patience. To put it bluntly, it all went to shit.
‘Homeschooling’, which I was using in the loosest sense of the word, went completely out of the window (unless you count my gin and phonics class), my ‘pupils’ walked out on me or refused to turn up at all. We quickly discovered that what had worked in week one was a distant memory.
How is self-isolation affecting the kids?
What surprised me the most was just how hard it would hit our three year old. Without the emotional language to express the emotions she’s feeling, the lack of social interaction with her peers, and whatever understanding she has taken from the situation, has been expressing itself in the form of a demon child. She’s cut holes in the trampoline, plastered herself with coal, emptied toothpaste tubes around the house, lost any interest in joining in with activities and has been refusing to go to bed until 9pm.
Family conversations tend to go like this:
“This is boring I’m not doing any of it”, “stop wiping coal on your face”, “the BBQ is not designed for standing on”, “please don’t throw stuff into other people’s gardens”, “don’t draw on your sister”, “I said don’t use the knife part” “don’t you want to talk to your family instead of watching TV?…No”, ”can you stop asking Alexa to play a quiz it’s 9 o’clock at night”
Self-isolation kid-entertaining successes
There has been the odd success this week though. Oti Mabuse’s morning dance class for kids has been bringing me much joy! The 6 year old and I learnt Frozen-themed and Trolls-themed dance routines (which doubled as a pretty good work out!), despite having my trousers pulled down and being pelted with cushions by the 3 year old.
Glitter tattoos that I had hanging around the house went down a storm and all four of us are now adorned with sparkling flowers, fairies and marijuana plant images (don’t worry the kids just liked the shape of the leaves).
Inspired by Osprey europe’s #GampingChallenge, I spent a good half an hour making a den behind the sofa. Nobody wanted to play in it at first, so it was repurposed as mummy’s self isolation den, stocked with gin and red wine. Of course as soon as I went to tidy it up, there was a sudden real interest in this cosy (fake) candlelit corner and I was banished from the room. I’ve promised I’ll make another one, although the feedback I’ve received hasn’t been overly promising: ‘yes, make another tomorrow, because that’s a silly one’. You can’t win ‘em ey?!
We also moved on from tea-making to other important beverage-concocting life skills. BUT with PHONICS, so it technically counts as proper learning. Gin and Phonic geddit?!
Plan for Easter holidays in self-isolation
Plan for Easter holidays is not to attempt to ‘get’ the 3 year old to do anything. Instead we’re going to just leave toys and games out for her to find and choose, so she feels like she has some control.
I’ll let you know how it goes! How did week two go for you?
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