Monday 27 April 2020

Life in Lockdown -Week 5

I knew this week would go one way or another, either they would be happy to have some structure again and want to stretch their brains, or they would be resistant to going back to learning after having the freedom to play all day.  It was very clearly the second one but we have spent the week muddling through, learning what works and what doesn't together and I felt actual relief when it got to the weekend, despite the fact nothing was really any different! Here is how our fifth week in lockdown went!

Monday


We woke up, we started something that resembles home learning, we quickly gave up.  They were not in the mood, they weren't engaged in the work that was set and they were only willing to do something if they had my undivided attention.  We went back to playing, running around, wrestling and drawing for the tiny girl.  She loves to draw things and probably spends more time with a pen or pencil in her hand than any of the boys.  I don't know if it is just too hard to say that a house that has been solely for play now has to be somewhere they focus and learn as well, or whether four weeks of being at home has turned them all a bit feral.  We tried, we failed, we will get up and try again tomorrow.  Or maybe call it an inset day.  I have a feeling there might be a teacher strike coming up soon too.

Tuesday


It feels tougher than ever to get back into some kind of schooling and I am not sure I really want to.  We did a little bit of computer based learning and then inspired by something I saw on Instagram (a phase I feel I am using a lot at the moment), I made an exercise line outside the house. Starting with a hop scotch, including wiggly lines to follow, stars to star jump on and frog jumps as shown, it was a bit of fun for the kids (and some passers by later that I spotted out the window).  The big chalks are proving to be one of our best buys! Inspired by Dylan's news magazine that informed us that it has been 50 years since the Apollo 13 mission, I gave the children an early dinner and then snuggled them up in my bed to watch the film.  I hadn't counted on it being so long and only one child made it to the end but we stopped it many times for them to ask historical or scientific questions, to discuss emotions and strangely it felt like the most 'homeschooling' thing we have done.  Dylan was completely engaged and learned a lot and more importantly, we all enjoyed it.

Wednesday



With the enthusiasm of the night before, I printed of some astronaut based worksheets, mostly choosing things aimed at the younger ones so we could all join in.  We all wrote a list of things we would take on a rocket, designed our own planets and crafted some very basic rockets using toilet rolls.  We didn't spend long doing it but it made me feel like I was doing something and we quickly moved on to baking banana bread.  The children are getting more and more reluctant to wear clothes and when the most exciting place we go is the back garden, it seems pointless to increase my washing pile anymore so photos are often limited.  There is still more playing on the x-box than anything else most days but do you know what else there is a lot of at the moment? Smiles.  I count that as a win. 

Thursday


I woke up feeling tired, I hadn't prepared any work and they clearly weren't in the mood so we called it an inset day.  They dragged sofa cushions to their bedroom and made their own obstacle course, watched the Lion King for the 3000th time this lockdown and then I decided we would actually go out.  The sun was blazing and the clarity of rules meant I didn't feel bad driving 10 minutes around the corner to get a change of scenery.  We fed carrots to donkeys and ran along footpaths through the fields, finding one empty, the soil dead and the perfect place to explore.  Despite two of them being reluctant to actually go out, once they were there, they had to be dragged away.  They think that without softplay, without noise and electicity and lights and people there can't be fun but the two hours they spent in a field of dead crop tells me otherwise.  What these children need is space to run, freedom to get dirty, imagination to make everywhere wonderful and love and I gave them all those things and watched them thrive.  I say it every week but I need to get out with them more as these are the very best days.  We learned what donkeys eat and why some lighthouses don't have red stripes and not a lot else but we had fun.

Friday


Probably the most honest picture from lockdown - the children playing on the xbox.  They don't have the ability to regulate their playing (we gave it a go) so I have to set clear limits on how much screen time they can have and those limits are relaxing more and more as the weeks go on.  There is nothing even vaguely educational about the games they play other than the fact they often play 2 player as a team but I get a moment of peace to get on with something and they are happy and this is all a complex balancing act really.  We got out today, we ran around a giant field until everyone was tired and then came home for a movie night with sweeties as it is Friday.  It has been a hard week when it comes to home learning but in other respects it feels like it is getting easier.




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Thursday 23 April 2020

What the Kids Wore // Nununu

My garden isn't my first choice for taking photos.  Whilst it is a good size, it was pretty much a jungle when we moved in and even with a lot of work done to it, it is rough around the edges and always looks in need of some TLC.  With the current lockdown situation though, I have to make do and when Nununu sent the children some clothes, they were desperate to get them on.

This is by far Archie's favourite brand at the moment.  At 7 his favourite colour is black, he likes skulls and anything a bit edgy and everything needs to be soft.  Nununu ticks all the boxes.


We still haven't got round to learning how to skateboard, despite having owned this little board for many years but the children love sliding down the little bit of paving in our garden with it.  Archie has recently shot up (probably the fact that he hasn't stopped eating since the schools broke up) and so this outfit couldn't have arrived at a better time.  The leggings have images down one leg, are soft and stretchy and perfect for slim children.  Archie is a tall 7 year old wearing the 8-9 here and as you can see, they have plenty of growing space.  His top is a sweatshirt material with a hood and short sleeves and a big pocket on the front that you can put your hands all the way through.  


We have had Nununu clothes for years and one reason I love them is the longevity.  Cora has clothes that were Finn's, Finn has Archie's and some items will be on to the third child very soon.  Cora was sent an amazing yellow jumpsuit which we layered with a handmedown black Nununu long sleeved tee.  I love how bright this is and how fun it looks.  She is wearing an age 3-4 here as a petite nearly 4 year old and it will fit for a long time still.  The tight cuffs make it easy to start wearing earlier though and the pockets are always a winner!


If you are looking for cool, edgy but incredibly comfy clothing for kids then check out Nununu







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Sunday 19 April 2020

Life in Lockdown - Week 4

Every week is different which seems strange considering in many ways every week is exactly the same, the same six people in the same four walls, trying our hardest to make this difficult time into something fun and to keep our fears away from the children.  I wrote a little diary each day again as I try and make sense of how this is all working.

Monday


It was Easter Monday and after the excitement of egg hunts, family face time and alllllll the chocolate that has been consumed, today was about recovering and doing what we need to do.  For the children that meant watching films and playing on the x-box nearly all day.  I couldn't sit still though so I spent the morning cleaning all the doorways in the house with my trusty cream cleaner and my afternoon tidying, sorting and cleaning the boys room and setting up this den.  I took the mattresses off their bed and they loved it, bringing tablets and books up there for the afternoon too.  I want them to have fun memories from this difficult time and hopefully camping out on the floor can be one of them.  It felt tough without any direction today but I think we all feel better after our chill out day.

Tuesday


The children hadn't been out the house in over a week and they were going to bed later and getting up earlier so I thought they needed to stretch their legs a bit further than the garden.  Two of them were reluctant to go out (they told me all the good places to go were shut so there was no point) but it didn't take long for them all to love the opportunity to run.  We walked/scoot/ran down to the beach, threw some rocks in the sea, ran around playing tag for a few minutes and then walked home.  It felt good to be out with them all but it makes me feel nervous as we are a big group (although it is clear we all live together).  I don't want them to come out of this lockdown scared to go out, but I don't want to put us or anyone else at risk so I think we will stick to infrequent walks and use the garden whenever possible.

Wednesday


I had bought a pack of chalk pens and then forgotten all about them, so we dug them out today and decorated the back doors.  I know that nobody else will see our pictures, but they loved drawing them and we did a few on the front door too.  We have got to the point where they are reluctant to get dressed in the morning knowing we won't be going out anywhere and I am ok with that at the moment, but I think I will enforce clean clothing each day from Monday when we are supposed to be 'back to school' as it makes them much more productive with their days.

Thursday


I am struggling in the mornings, without a school run I find it hard to motivate myself to get up which means we often have lazy /tv time until lunch. I feel torn between guilt that I am not doing the best for them, and understanding that this tiredness is how my body is dealing with the difficulties and stress and I should respect it all the while the children aren't coming to any harm.  It was a day spent not doing a whole lot, bits of cleaning for me, playing for them and plenty of screen time for all of us along with painting tiny fingers and toes.  I feel like I am bombarded on social media with both messages of all the things I should be doing in this time - exercising more, learning new skills, tidying the house etc and also messages that it is OK to do nothing but survive, that this isn't a holiday but a pandemic.  I find myself flitting between these two approaches frequently, usually multiple times a day but today felt definitely more about survival that thriving.  That said, it wasn't stressful or tearful like the earlier tough days were, just accepting.

Friday


The children found some tattoos and we applied all of them to all the arms, only for one child to decide he didn't actually want them on anymore and scrubbing them off.  It was tough to find motivation again but we got up and dressed, I bribed them into the garden with biscuits and made it into a game of last to leave and we snuggled up on a floor bed to watch a film in the evening. I have a busy weekend planned socially which doesn't involve leaving my house at all.  We are all trying to keep in touch with video chat apps and I have a quiz tonight with some friends and then a birthday party tomorrow.  We were supposed to be jet-ski-ing during the day and at karaoke for the evening but instead we are having a zoom party, each with our own background music and drinks.  A lot of things feel like a compromise at the moment but I understand this is what it needs to be.

This week was our 'half term' and I am planning on going back to a more structured day for next week.  I know it works best for me and if I am happy then it influences the children. It has been a week of up and downs, like them all but every week things feel a little bit more settled, the highs a little less high, the lows a little less low.






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Monday 13 April 2020

Home Learning - Week 3

I am still enjoying documenting our week, getting my camera out every day just for a couple of minutes and noting down how I feel as this lockdown progresses.  This is such an odd time, nobody knows what they are doing and the 'right thing' looks different for all of us.  Some families have a strict schedule, others play it by ear each day and both of those are perfect for them.  I think we fall somewhere in the middle but as we relax into this and admit there is nothing else we can do, our day is relaxing at the same time.  Here is the short paragraphs I wrote at the end of each day.

Monday


It was the first day that the children really wanted to go in the garden at all which made me happy.  I had made the decision not to do a proper school holidays as I felt like we were only just settling into this new routine, and as we do very limited academic work anyway, I think they will still enjoy some structure, baking and crafts.  They know what to expect now when I tell them to get dressed ready to start the day and things seem to run a bit smoother.  We made Easter cards today which all 4 took part in happily and whilst the day had its fair share of stressful parts, it went ok really.

Tuesday


It may look at times like I know vaguely what I am doing, like we are settled and calm but know that my house looks like a bomb exploded and I don't have the energy to tidy it up once the kids are in bed.  The three casualties in our house have been the big TV, a dining chair and my full length mirror.  Our house is chaotic and I can't see any signs of that changing.  Usually I try and photograph around it, but today I got in the middle of it.  Quickly discarded toys all around, probably some crumbs if you look hard enough, but also a little girl who knows she is loved.

Wednesday


We changed the plans we had for the day based on mood and spent more time in the garden instead.  Initially the children were reluctant to go out there but as the days go on and the weather warms up things are changing.  I had to go to the shops for our weekly food and I picked up some giant chalks which we used to draw all over the front of the house and our driveway.  We drew a hopscotch out on the pavement in front of our house and watching out the window as adults stop on their daily exercise walks and have a go really makes me smile.  I think this spell of warm weather is making everything feel a bit easier and I am desperately hoping it continues.


Thursday


I had decided early on that we weren't even going to attempt anything that resembles school today.  I feel like I am settling into being at home, learning how to make this work and we needed a day in the garden, more freedom to play and less routine.  A parcel from Nanny arrived early on with some bug pots which was perfect.  They caught a worm and an ant in them and loved watching them move.  We still managed some Easter art and a long shower for each of them but I realised how much more settled I feel at home with them for someone who has always spent every waking minute out the house before.  It is a new way of being, a new set of expectations but it is nice.

Friday


Technically it was Good Friday but Ed is working all the hours under the sun and every day feels a bit the same at the moment.  I had asked the children to plan their own schedule for the day which Dylan pretty much did on his own and he wanted lots of Art time so we found some bits to make and colour and had a day of free play.  I tried to encourage some reading but they all picked up baby board books (I should probably re-home them when this is all over!) and so we moved on.  It felt like a more successful week in terms of temperament and I feel like we are all getting more comfortable with this new normal, but we didn't do any of the more academic things I had thought we would.  As the week has gone on, I have seen them each play more, create more, follow their interests more and often step away from the TV in the evenings when we have it on to play instead - something that never happened after a day at school.  I know there are going to be ups and downs, after all, we don't know when this is going to end, but at the end of the week I feel positive about how we are coping, privileged to be able to go through this with space and a garden and lucky to get this time with my small people whilst they are still this sized.






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Saturday 11 April 2020

Preparing for Summer with Protest Swimwear

Advertorial

Between the lack of everyday walking which I rely on to keep me healthy and the p.e with Joe every morning (if you haven't discovered this yet then check it out) which is making my legs ache like never before, between the lack of appetite due to stress at the beginning of this lock-down and the copious amounts of baking that we are doing, that of course needs to be tasted, I have no idea what shape I will come out of this pandemic in, and it isn't something I am terribly concerned about most of the time either.

I have been preparing for summer though, even if it isn't going to look like the summer we were planning.  We have a garden and the option to buy a paddling pool and if the weather today is an indicator of what is to come then that might be happening sooner rather than later!  I ordered a bikini from Protest Swimwear and I am so impressed with the quality and fit.  The bikini tops come in cup sizes so you can ensure you are getting something just right and being able to buy the parts separately means they fit well on those of us without standard body shapes.  I went for a bright floral design which is available in lots of mix and match items and have found the sizing spot on.


I have always preferred a bikini, being taller and finding it hard to find swimsuits that are long enough and Protest have both pretty triangle bikinis and push-up bikinis and those more suited to sports.  They also sell swimwear for men and children.  To get 10% off the Protest wesbite, use the code adventure10. This coupon is valid until 30 June 2020.  


My plans for this lock-down involve spending as much time as I can in the garden soaking up some Vitamin D and I am writing this post from a blanket in the garden as the children are barefoot planting vegetables to grow.  I can't wait to be doing this in a bikini in a few weeks time!  I am still clinging on to the hope that we will make it to the beach before the end of the warm weather this year, but even if I am enjoying the sun in my garden, I am prepared.





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Saturday 4 April 2020

Home Learning -Week 2

This week I have learned that ups and downs are going to be part of this new normal for a while.  We will have a series of good days, days where I wonder whether school really is the right place for them or whether this home-school life could work for us.  We have a series of days feeling connected and like we are achieving something and then a bad day, where everything seems to go wrong, where we argue and struggle to get anything done.  Days where everyone cries and my heart is broken by a just turned 5 year old desperate to go back to school with his friends who just doesn't really understand what is going on but is more than aware that everything has changed.

These adjustments are tough and some days we thrive, others I focus on just surviving.  I miss seeing my friends but I try and stay connected in any way I can, watching the same TV shows so we can have a debrief after, video chats on apps on my phone and a constant stream of whats-app messages that come through the day reminding me that there is life outside this bubble I live in.

This week we left behind a structured timetable and instead went with a list of daily activities.  I sat down at the weekend and wrote them out on a grid, some form of p.e each day, something outdoors, something academic, something creative and something fun.  It gave our days structure without being glued to a timetable and it feels like the right move for us.  Every day we started out at 9 (or 10 if I was tired) and the TV screens went on around 5pm.  Every day was different and I can find moments to hold on to in every day, the moments that get me through that inevitable tough one


Monday
On Monday I set out the train tracks for Finn.  He has always loved them but the bigger two have never shown an interest.  They are quickly moving away from playing and towards anything involving a screen so it brought me so much joy to see them getting stuck in.  They know that this isn't school, but they understand that during the traditional 'school day' they aren't watching TV or gaming and I love seeing them rediscover toys.  It is a much slower journey for Archie but Dylan is embracing it and it makes me so happy to see him acting more like the 8 year old I remember being.

Tuesday
We are going 'out' less and less and making more use of our garden for our exercise and fresh air but sometimes I really need to walk further and Ed was taking part in a big webinar in the afternoon for work that would be really tricky with noisy children in the house.  We walked down to a quiet part of the beach less than a kilometre from our house.  Watching the children run in and out of the waves felt like medicine for my soul.  I am a naturally outdoorsy person and I need the crashing waves and the feel of sand beneath my feet.  I need to feel small in a big world rather than big in a small world for a while.  Obviously they all got completely soaked and walked home dripping wet.


Wednesday
Today I set them the task of making a den in the back garden, digging out a duvet that is waiting to go to the launderette and lots of blankets.  They made a fort (with a lot of help) and filled it with books and puzzles.  We had an alfresco coffee shop (they love a coffee shop) where they ordered off the menu and it was a good day.  Technically they would have all finished school today for the Easter holidays but we are going to carry on our routine which has very little academic work anyway because I think it is best for our family.  


Thursday
We stayed close to home again and our outdoor activity was washing the car which is parked on our driveway.  They weren't terribly sure they wanted to do it but once the bubbles came out they didn't stop laughing and soaking each other.  Doing these things with them that I remember loving in my childhood makes me feel connected.  There are so many differences between the way they are growing up and the way I did, most of them due to the changing availability of technology but I want to make sure their childhood is still that and these things reassure me (before I let them play minecraft for 3 hours on the TV).  Archie is the most reluctant to get outside usually but was the most absorbed in the car wash.  Somehow it looks just as dirty afterwards as it did before they started


Friday
I had high hopes for today, I had come up with a really fun idea, I had prepared things for it and I was ready for fun. I woke up to the sound of Archie breaking the TV though and it went downhill from there.  Everyone was tired and emotional, unco-operative and aggressive.  Finn burst into tears because he missed school and I felt ready to give up.  My plans had been to host an un-birthday party though and as I had done all the preparation we did it anyway.  We got dressed up, played pass the parcel, music statues and music bumps.  The children drew invitations to their favourite teddies and we played with balloons.  We danced and had a Colin the Caterpillar birthday cake and it gave me something good to balance out the rest of the day.  I had a long bath with my book and some deep breaths whilst Ed put the small people to bed.  Today felt overwhelming, exhausting and I felt desperate to escape but we made it through with a lot of Disney+.  The weeks feel so long and I find that being on facebook and seeing all these parents educating from home so well and with so much creativity makes me feel worse.  Sharing how tough my day was on instagram stories and having responses of solidarity made me feel less alone and that is what I need to take from all this.  We are all having bad days, we are all crying over little things, we are all muddling through with no real idea how.  


I want to continue to write daily about how we are making this work, how we are getting through this unsettling time because I need to get it out, for me.  I hope you all had a better week


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