Lockdown 2.0

We knew this lockdown was coming, it was inevitable and in all honesty I am not convinced it will be the last one.  It feels so different to the first though, probably because the schools have remained open throughout which gives us all a sense of normality, a structure to our day and week and some time apart - all things I struggled with a lot over the first lockdown.  Today it was announced that next week it will end as planned, but my county will be going into tier 3, the highest restrictions. I expected it, I have seen the local case numbers rising and it makes sense, but I know the older children who have been counting down to the end of lockdown because they want to see their friends, are going to be disappointed. 

Our life isn't going to change so much for the next month, our weekends will still be spent outdoors in our own family group, the children will (fingers crossed) stay in school and Ed and I work from home anyway.  Hopefully if we are careful in the lead up to Christmas, we can keep some normality there for the children as they are so excited to be able to go to Grandma and Grandpa's house again! I am considering the idea of pulling them from school a few days early so we can self isolate in the lead up .

The situation hasn't been all negative for us and one thing I will take from it all is how enjoyable it can be to slow down the pace a bit.  After school lazy afternoons with no clubs to run around to and weekends with zero plans where we walk and play it by ear have been enjoyable.  We don't need to be busy all the time to feel content, we can do less and still be happy.  Our weekends are for walks in the woods or hours spent playing in the sand at the local beach, warm baths and onesies, family games and movie nights in Mummy and Daddy's bed.  Sometimes they play on their consoles whilst I can sit and read, not feeling the pressure to be anywhere.  There is definitely something to be said for appreciating what is all around us and what we have.  We are privileged to be able to retreat to our little bubble and feel safe. I know our situation isn't everyone's and we are the lucky ones, I feel that every day.

This is more a rambling brain spill than a blog post, but this is my story to look back on when these days seem so far behind us, and so I am writing it down. 

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One Term In

It felt at times like they would never return to school.  The six months we had was wonderful and exhausting, full of joy and fear and we all learned so much (definitely more about life than the national curriculum).  We adapted, slowly at first to this 'new normal' that was thrust upon us.  I got my babies back after losing part of them to school, I got time to invest in myself, which is strange to admit when I was also parenting full time, mostly alone with little respite. I went from a state of worry to one of acceptance and we found our way through those long days together.

And then September came and everything changed.  It was wonderful and exhausting all over again, full of joy and fear and we all had to adapt to a new routine, new expectations, things being a little bit like they were 'before' but not quite the same.  We all took to it differently.  Two children happy to be back to school, something they had been counting down to for weeks, one excited to start Reception at big school and one who really isn't convinced school is for him.  I was nervous about the new starter and overwhelmed by the multiple school runs and the different rules between the schools (One are allowed to bring books home, one aren't.  One school allows school bags, one doesn't. . . ) and then everything fell into place. I remembered which children had packed lunch on which days (all three boys have different lunch/school dinner requests), I remembered which children had to wear pe kits in on which days and then Cora started doing full days at school rather than 2 hour sessions and all of a sudden we were there.

After months of not having to worry about getting ready and leaving the house very much, we also had to start getting things ready for the transition. Buying supplies, new clothes, new shoes, doctor’s appointments, and new glasses. Luckily you can visit website to try on glasses to make the process easier. But finally we were ready to begin.

For 9 years I have had a child at home and this moment felt like it would never arrive, but it did and all four children were happy in full time school.  I thought I would be more emotional than I was but I think after those long six months, I was ready for a break, some time for me, time to get through the to do list that I had been putting off for six months.  

Today the bigger two break up for a two week half term and next Thursday the smaller two will join them and it can't come soon enough.  Those first weeks were hard, I had to meet them at school with a sugary snack and hope they didn't crash before they got home.  Their brains were working hard, they were having to be social with people they didn't live with and it all combined to completely exhaust them.  After a while they seemed better able to function (just in time for swimming lessons to recommence) and we had a short period of everything feeling settled but now they are getting harder to wake in the morning, I can see how much they need a break and I am excited to spend some quality time with them again rather than just trying to get through the afternoons after school without too much drama.  We are going to relax, take the mornings slowly and as everyone starts to regain energy, we will get out more and have our own covid-compliant adventures. 

This first term has shown me how resilient my children are, how well they can adapt, how much they can learn when they have a teacher who isn't also trying to be a parent, dinner lady, cook and cleaner and how much we all needed a little time apart to make our time together feel more special.  I have learned how short those 6 hours really are when you are trying to get things done, and also that having time for myself during the day doesn't magically make me a more patient parent when they get home.  I have learned that the worst thing I can do as a parent is not meet them at the school gate with a snack and that it doesn't matter how big a packed lunch I send them in with, they will be starving every moment from when school ends until their eyes finally close for the night.  I feel sad that their first terms back were not everything they were looking forward to, something Archie has found particularly difficult with starting a new school.  He looked round on the open day, saw so much he wanted to do but with Covid measures, the only part of the school he has seen this term is his classroom.  I am sad that Finn can't show Cora round after being so excited that his little sister is starting his school as they are in different bubbles and so can't mix.  

The countdown is on now until I pick up Dylan and Archie and the half term holidays start for them.  It has been a really long and also super quick first term and it has been good for all of us.  Now just 4 more days until I can turn off the morning alarm!

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Life in Lockdown - An Update

When I started doing a weekly update about our life in Lockdown, I just hadn't imagined it lasting this long.  Taking a photo every day felt like a way to keep up something I enjoy (photography) alongside recording this strange time but as we settled into this new normal, it got harder.  I love looking back now at those early weeks where I had so much more enthusiasm for home learning and so much more anxiety around the whole situation.  Unfortunately both of those have dwindled and now I feel happier having days with no plans, being at home, enjoying the slower pace of life and I also have less energy for home learning when trying to balance it with everything else.

We also made the decision to send Finn back to school on June 15th and he now does 4 days a week.  Dylan is going back next Monday and Cora is back doing two morning sessions at nursery.  Lockdown doesn't look quite the same for us anymore and whilst we are still social distancing and avoiding many of our usual places, there is a bit more freedom and a little less stress.  I want to continue sharing how we are doing but not in the same daily structure.

I have lost track of which week we are on now, but we have started going out more.  The older boys were getting more and more reluctant to leave the house and I could see how it was affecting both their mental and physical health so I am building it into our week more and we are lucky enough to be surrounded by beaches so we can usually find a nice quiet one.  We still have plenty of days where we don't go out at all and we have fallen into more of a routine with our home learning now that Finn is at school.  The structure that the school run brings to our day has made us all more productive I think.

I still find that things can feel very extreme.  Without that social side that I rely on to help me process my feelings sometimes, I still find myself having quite extreme highs and lows.  Some days I think this is such an amazing opportunity to really stop and enjoy my children without any outside pressure, without any commitments elsewhere, and other times I feel so exhausted by it all and I just want to hide under a duvet all day.  The Corona Fatigue is definitely real, but with more time outdoors it is definitely getting to me less than it was.

The news that the world is opening up a lot more as of July 4th has also lifted my mood. We won't be rushing out to cinemas, museums and restaurants but knowing that there are options when we do need to break up the monotony is a comforting thought and when we are ready we can access more entertainment and more normality. 

These photos do not show an accurate representation of the past 3 or 4 weeks at all, they show the highlights, the moments I felt inspired to take out my camera, the best bits of the week.  Know that there were arguments, battles, stand offs, afternoons spent watching films as I lost the energy to parent, a drive through mcdonalds  and quite a bit of time where I was sat in my hammock with a book whilst the children played on the xbox.  These photos are also mostly of Cora who is happy to have her photo taken more, the boys pick and choose with that so don't appear as much.

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The Ordinary Moments in Black and White

I have always been a fan of colour in my photos, I like them bright and bold which usually matches the way the children dress but I was playing around with some that I took and decided that I quite liked them in black and white.

After a day spent indoors, I felt like we all needed to stretch our legs and run around so we walked down the road to the beach.  It was busier than I expected but nothing like it has been during the day and I could pretty much let the children run free without worrying that they would be anywhere close to another person.  That bit of normality felt good, I don't want to be nagging them to constantly avoid people and reminding them of the two metre rule.  They were not only happy to be out, but they were happy for me to take pictures, sometimes telling me exactly where they wanted their photo taken.  

They chased seagulls, threw stones in the sea and climbed all over the rocks before finding the perfect spot to launch themselves into the sand.  We ate biscuits and talked and it felt like the kind of thing we may have done that evening anyway until I remembered that Tuesdays usually mean after school swimming for Cora and then Cubs for Dylan which means we actually spend the day running back and forth to the three schools, clubs and everything else.  One of the best things to have come from Lockdown for us is the change of pace for a while.  The freedom to go out late, to fit our day around us rather than having to fit us around the schedule is refreshing.

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Life in Lockdown - Week 11

I think one of the things that made Lockdown easier so far was the weather.  We have had the driest Spring in years and the sun has shone almost every day.  It has meant that the beaches have been packed but it has also meant that getting outdoors, fresh air and vitamin D hasn't been a challenge and if things get difficult in the house, we have had the garden to come to.  The weather has changed this week, temperatures have dropped and I have seen a shift in mood on my social media that mirrors mine.  I hope that next week we either have adjusted better mentally to the changes or the sun comes back out!

Monday

It was the first day back after half term and I felt like we should start out good so we loaded up Reading Eggs on the laptops and they each did about 40 minutes of work.  I then asked Archie to write three sentences and you would think I had asked him to pull out his own teeth the fuss he made.  There was 30 minutes of arguing followed by three minutes of actually doing something! I made the decision today not to send Finn and Cora back to school and nursery on Wednesday, something I have been thinking about for days now and I feel much lighter having finally made my mind up.  It is something we will reassess constantly but for now it isn't the environment we want to send them back into.  It does mean I feel more pressure to be teaching at home though, so let's see how today's good start continues!

Tuesday

I had lots of little things I needed to do today, prescriptions to collect, food shopping to buy and others which meant the children were mostly left to their own devices whilst Ed attempted to work and supervise them at the same time.  It was nice to get out and away for a little while and it was nice to tick all the things off my to do list which had been building up as it just isn't easy to do with all four children around.  The day seemed to disappear without us having done anything so after dinner I took the kids down to the beach for a run around.  It was so much quieter than it has been during the days which meant I could give them more freedom to run and explore without being anywhere near anybody.  It was lovely and warm still and I think this is something we need to do more often as it was lovely to run and jump and play together without the stress.

Wednesday

I don't remember baking much as a child (although I am sure we made fairy cakes at least) but I do remember icing biscuits.  My mum would get out some rich tea biscuits, mix icing sugar with water and give us whatever she had to ice and decorate them.  I remember eating them for pudding on a Sunday evening whilst watching Scrapheap challenge and choosing which ones were for my parents too.  As the lockdown has progressed, our energy for baking has started dying off but they loved this, it was easy to set up and there was very little mess.  We did a little bit of learning work today but as usual we kept it brief and spent much more time playing!

Thursday

Today we mixed their favourite thing (technology) with mine (being outdoors) and went on a long Pokemon walk.  We met up with my mum who also plays and all three boys walked along with their eyes firmly on the little screens catching and battling.  The weather is so much cooler that we wore jackets and only just made it back before the rain started.  Things are slowly starting to open up in the community and I did decide that we would drive to Mcdonalds for a drive through for dinner.  I wouldn't even say we were missing it particularly, but the novelty of doing something different and of not having to cook was just so appealing and the children were all really excited for their nuggets, chips and Trolls toy.  

Friday

There is no photo today.  I couldn't find the motivation to take one.  The kids didn't get dressed, we didn't do anything and there are only so many photos I can take of them watching TV in their pants.  My friend called it 'Corona Fatigue' and I am sure it is a real thing.  The monotomy of life can be exhausting, the lack of purpose sometimes can be so tiring and I think it is natural to crash every now and again.  I think these days happen in 'real life' too but you still have to get up and do the school runs and so even without anything else, it feels a little bit productive.  Now those necessary journeys that might pick us up are gone and it is a lot easier to sit and dwell on the down days.  I am embracing this slump rather than fighting it and hoping that next week is better.

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Life in Lockdown - Week 10

We should have been away this week on a holiday that was organised months ago and whilst I completely understand and respect why we can't be there. it is still sad to miss out on something you have been looking forward to.  I have been thinking this week about the people who should have been getting married though, he may have spent weeks, months or years planning something special and I am devastated for them.  Safety is obviously the priority here but I think it is ok to be sad about what has been lost too, this time is hard for everyone.


Monday

Technically it is half term and we should have left the house early this morning as the sun was rising and sailed on the ferry to France for a week away with my whole family celebrating my Mum's 60th.  I feel sad that we can't be there and the children are upset too but it has been booked for next year and it is nice knowing we have something to look forward to.
 I still hadn't got rid of the box that my hammock arrived in so we decided to re-purpose it as a canvas.  I gave the children paints and paintbrushes which they started using but within a minute or so they had progressed to finger painting and within two it was a form of whole body painting.  Maybe we should call this art week?

Tuesday

The sun was shining and with the hope that the bank holiday weekend traffic was over, we braved the beach.  I know that the beach is quite controversial at the moment, but for us it is one of the nearest places we can go to be outside (less than 1 mile from our house) and we know the quieter parts.  We had no problem staying 2 metres from anyone and it was lovely to be outside in the sun and paddling in the sea.  Well for most of us, Archie is practising at being a teenager so sat in the wagon the whole time.  I wish we had local woodlands and fields but we need to drive for most of those whereas the beach is on our doorstep and I think as long as we avoid the hottest days and weekends, it should be easy to visit and stay away from other people.

Wednesday

Cora loves to draw so today we decided to try a few 'Draw with Rob' videos.  Two loved it and joined in happily, two watched for a few seconds and then went in the garden. We drew super bears and then a whale with a rainbow and I have to admit, I quite enjoyed it too! I have no real artistic talent but he made it easy.  In the afternoon I needed to pop to a shop in town for a couple of essentials.  I could leave the boys at home plugged into the x-box knowing they would be easy for Ed to supervise whilst he worked but it is impossible to leave Cora so she came with me.  It took around 10 minutes to get into town and we went into one shop.  As we were queing her little lip started wobbling and she needed a big cuddle as she told me 'I really miss home'.  I must admit to wanting to laugh, I mean we had only been out a few minutes and we have spent allllll our time in the house but it obviously feels like a safe space to her and when we were in the shop I kept reminding her that she had to hold my hand and not touch anything.

Thursday

For the past few weeks it has been so difficult to get the children out the house but ever since we visited the rocks last week, they have been desperate to go back so we walked there today with the wagon and they loved it again.  I think the freedom of climbing all over the place must be so refreshing after being home for so long and I enjoyed watching them although it was much windier than I had thought.  In the evening we had a film night with little pots of treats which they really loved.  There are a lot of film nights at the moment but they don't all come with marshmallows and Maltesers!

Today on the news it was announced that they are hoping to open all schools to all students in only a couple of weeks which has really made me think about how precious this time has been.  I know that if this was reality it wouldn't be as nice, but in a way I don't want it to end.  I am loving the freedom and the pace of our life at the moment, getting to spend so much time with my favourite people and the privilege of watching them change and grow,  I know that I am in a privileged situation and I also know that the return to school in June will not be mandatory but all the changes on the horizon are making me think back on the past 10 weeks where it has been just us,

Friday

It was my Dad's birthday today and so it was a bit of a strange one. We were supposed to all be in France together and I can imagine how our day would have looked, full of fun and family time.  Even if we weren't away, we would have gone round for a big family meal and some games at tea time but instead we had to make do with the lockdown version of a birthday, through the house party app.  The children love playing Bingo so we did it through the app as my Mum had already delivered cards, cake and party bags for all.  They loved it and Finn managed to win twice.  We all missed seeing their Grandpa and I hope there won't be too many more family birthdays celebrated without being able to spend time in the same house or garden. 

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Life in Lockdown - Week 9

I think when Lockdown started, we had no idea how long it would go on for and writing a little diary through it like this seemed like a good idea.  As the weeks have stretched on, I have found it harder to pick up my camera each day and write something new when life just feels so repetitive.  In some ways it has got easier, I think we have fallen into our groove, working out how to be together 24/7 but in other ways it gets harder, as our motivation, especially mine is starting to dwindle and the days feel much longer.  I want to keep going though, because one day this will all be something in the past and I want to remember it.

Monday

We started the week with the best intentions and the children had to complete some learning based tasks to earn time on the x-box later in the day.  They fought me down on each one and did very little actual work but the day went better with the structure of at least attempting it.  We are all a fan of lazy mornings now, I have always been a night owl and hated getting up so our days all look similar, with mornings spent lying on the sofa watching TV, drinking coffee in bed and generally having quiet time followed by activities and play in the afternoon and then some gaming or screen time after dinner.  It probably isn't the best set up but everyone is happy with it at the moment.

Tuesday

We were sent a box of science experiments from Einstein Entertainers and it came with a 30 minute Zoom call where the professor talked us through a few of the experiments.  The kids really enjoyed it and so we decided to declare it science week (only in the loosest academic sense).  They made slime, paper helicopters and planted sunflower seeds as well as marvelling at the rainbow world through their science glasses.  They started the call overflowing with energy and ended it engaged and calmer. The afternoon was uneventful but I can see them finding new ways to play together, the older children getting back into toys when they want to.  I managed to even get some cleaning done whilst they played - something I haven't spent enough time doing over the past 9 weeks!

Wednesday

Today was a really good day, the kind where everything seems to go right and I wonder how I haven't been appreciating this more.  The sun shone and we did experiments rather than battling school work and then explored somewhere local that we haven't been before.  They played beautifully, enjoying each other and climbing on the rocks and in the bushes.  I went for a run and my leg didn't hurt from my previous injury and I spent the evening chatting to my friends over social media.  A combination of the kids behaving so well, watching their sibling bonds developing and the sun on my skin has given me enthusiasm and a sense of happiness.  I know there will be more hard days ahead but I will be clinging on to this lovely one.

Thursday

I made an impulse purchase yesterday which meant that today's science lesson was in suspension, otherwise known as sitting in a hammock.  The weather was too nice to be inside so we played in the paddling pool, swung in the new hammock and had a really rather lazy home day including a socially distanced chat over the back fence with one of Dylan's friends. Finn didn't bring any reading books home from school and wasn't really able to read any that we owned but we acquired a bundle this week and he has been loving reading the right level books again. Reading online or bits of pages wasn't as interesting to him as picking up a book and being able to sound out every word and he is so proud of himself.

Friday

I decided to put a little bit of effort into our final day of science week so we played sink or float with random items in the paddling pool, shot rocket balloons around the garden guessing where they would land and then played with magic bubbles which stuck to everything and resulted in a lot of giggling! It still wasn't particularly educational but the kids loved it.  It seems strange to say I am totally ready for the weekend when really, it is no different to any other day at the moment but it still feels like it, probably because I have a second parent around for some of the weekend! 

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Life in Lockdown - Week 8

I feel like I am running out of comments as we end the eighth week living in Groundhog day.  The days and weeks are all starting to blur a little and I can generally tell the photos apart by the effort I am putting in as a parent, full of baking, crafts and gardening at the beginning, TV, free play and lazy afternoons more recently. I think it was inevitable really and I like to think even the most involved parents are suffering a little bit of burn out after a while.  I hope that next week we can find a better rhythm as I think more structure in the day is better for all of us.  

Monday

As the weeks have gone on, my attitude to home learning has relaxed so much that I don't really attempt it much anymore.  The kids have become more reluctant each week and my energy for the battles has run out.  We did a few online learning games this afternoon and then I got the little two baking three ingredient biscuits, the kind where you throw it in and mix with your hands.  They are easy, tasty and they love rolling up their sleeves and getting stuck in.  Regardless of anything academic, today I cooked a slow cooker butternut squash dhal and a chicken curry for the kids with all the sides and three out of four actually ate it! We can't win everything so I am happy with a dinner that is scraped off of the plates for once.

Tuesday

I decided not to attempt schooling today but also to ban screen time and just see what happened.  The day felt so much longer without structure, the afternoon seemed to go on for hours but at one point the boys decided to draw some of the characters from their favourite game and I was amazed that they chose to come to the table and do something like this.  They mostly played games as a gang of four that involved turning my house into a tip but overall, apart from the fact it was a really long day, it went ok.

Wednesday

We decided to go out and run around a green space today and it did everyone good.  They are still reluctant to go outdoors most of the time but they are so much happier for it and sleep so much better after a few hours of being in the sun.  Today I also had a phonecall from nursery and an email from the school as Finn and Cora are allowed back into their respective settings from June 1st potentially.  The schools wanted to know whether we will be taking up the places but in all honesty, it came as a bit of a shock and I wasn't ready to make the decision right away.  There are two conflicting ideas in my head and the 8 weeks of lockdown have taken away my decision making skills.

Thursday

Today we learnt the art of spending all morning in bed watching TV.  If they ever want to be lazy teenagers, this is a skill they need to master so really I would say this is exceptionally advanced for their age group.  Mid afternoon it was all a bit too much and Dylan fell asleep on the sofa.  Being a pretend teenager is exhausting! After he woke up, everyone was a bit emotional and my motivation was at an all time low so we decided to spend the rest of the day on the sofa watching Disney films.  As much as I feel like I should be 'doing' something with them everyday, just like me, sometimes they need to do nothing all day and hopefully we will make up for our laziness tomorrow (reality of this is highly unlikely!)

Friday

So this picture is cheating really, it is actually from Saturday.  Friday passed without anything to take photos of and as we stayed at home, the children were naked nearly all day.  We attempted little bits of educational online games, we played in the garden and we watched more TV than I should probably admit.  Some days we do ok, some days we achieve things, others we merely push through hoping the next one will be better and Saturday was lovely, leaving the house as a family of six for the first time in many weeks.  On friday everyone laughed and smiled, everyone brushed their teeth, everyone ate three proper meals and everyone eventually went to bed. That was enough.

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The Corona Questionnaire

I have seen this on my Facebook feed, a set of questions that people are asking their children, getting to know their understanding of what is going on, their mood through it all, their reactions and I wanted to ask mine, but to make sure I can always look back on their answers, I have decided to put it on here, so here is my 13 question Corona questionnaire and the answers each child gave. . . 

1)What is the Corona Virus

Dylan - Poorliness

Archie - A virus which is the most bad one, because it spreads really quick

Finn - It is why we can't go to school

Cora- I don't know

2) Who is the Prime Minister

Dylan - I don't know

Archie - Donald Trump

Finn - I don't know

Cora - I don't know

3) How many days have we been in lock-down? (correct answer is 7 weeks and 3 days when I asked)

Dylan - 50

Archie - 2 weeks and three days 

Finn - 42 weeks

Cora - Shows me all her fingers

4) What is Mummy wearing?

Dylan - Clothes

Archie - Clothes

Finn - White t shirt and pink + white trousers

Cora - Pink and white

5) Do you want to go back to school?

Dylan - Yes

Archie - Kind of

Finn - Yes

Cora - No

6) Who is the first person you are going to hug when lock-down ends?

Dylan - Cora

Archie - I don't know if I will hug anyone but probably Daddy

Finn - Harvey (school friend)

Cora - Dylan

7) Where is the first place you want to go when it is over?

Dylan - France

Archie - On holiday

Finn - The playground with a zip-line in

Cora - Stay at home, I really like being at home with all the fun things to do

8) What do you think we can do to get rid of the virus?

Dylan - Stay at home and be healthy

Archie - Stay inside

Finn - Stay at home until it has all gone

Cora - Poo on it

9) Is Mummy a good teacher?

Dylan - Yes

Archie - No

Finn - Yep

Cora - Yeah

(real answer is no!)

10) If Corona Virus was an animal, what animal would it be?

Dylan - An elephant

Archie - A pig because they always splash in mud which gets dirt and viruses all over them

Finn - A lion

Cora - A dog

11) How did the Corona Virus start?

Dylan -  People didn't wash their hands

Archie - In Scotland?

Finn - With germs

Cora - I really don't know

12) If you had to wear protective clothing to help you, what would it be?

Dylan - Armour

Archie - A glass suit

Finn - Armour made of diamonds

Cora - A dog t shirt and a dog hat

13) Are you happy?

Dylan - yes

Archie - yes

Finn - Yes

Cora - yes

At the time of Answering, Dylan is 8 years 9 months, Archie is 7 years 2 months, Finn is 5 years 2 months and Cora is 3 years 10 months 

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Celebrating 75 Years since VE Day

Friday was the 75th Anniversary of VE day, the day we celebrate the end of World War 2 and Victory in Europe.  I still remember learning about it ahead of this day in 1995, having a huge party at school where we all dressed up as children of the 1940s and interviewing my Aunty's neighbour who was an evacuee.  I hadn't realised it was such a big anniversary coming up until the week before, I think the threat of Coronavirus being more of a big topic but we had a little time to prepare.

We printed out pictures to colour in and talked about the war.  Dylan is only 8 so it was an introduction really for all of them as it isn't a subject that has come up before. Aware that my skills do not lie in teaching, we resorted to watching Horrible Histories episodes as we discussed it and coloured in.  Later that day, we had a hand written note through the door letting us know about a little street party that some neighbours were planning.  Each household looking after themselves, being separate but together in our own way.

We hung some bunting on the garage and stuck up our pictures,  We dressed in red, white and blue and prepared our own cream tea, with scones, strawberries and the lockdown staple - banana bread.  

We spread out a blanket on our driveway and watched as the local families did the same.  Each household staying in their own space, with their own food and drinks, their own decorations covering only their property but we were all celebrating alongside one another.  I could wave to neighbours I hadn't really met yet, shout greeting across the street at those I know and chat across the wall to my next door neighbours who probably know all the children's names a bit too well having had to listen to me shouting at them for seven weeks.

This lockdown has shown the power of community and it seemed a perfect way to celebrate that in the current situation as well as thinking about everyone who lost their lives in the war and all those that are still fighting and dying around the world in ongoing conflict.  A party, even a socially distanced one was a wonderful way to stay positive and I hope that in 25 years the children will look back with fond memories the same way I do.

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