Lockdown 3.0

This lockdown was hardly unexpected, in fact I asked for new pyjamas and loungewear for Christmas in anticipation of a long winter spent mostly at home.  Expected doesn't mean easy though and I think the government's insistence that schools are safe even on the first day of term gave me a false sense of hope that schools would remain open.  I struggled heavily with the news that home learning is resuming and the first day was incredibly challenging balancing the needs of four children, three whom can't complete school work independently and the eldest who still needed lots of clarification.  It all felt too much and I hastily sent emails to teachers asking them to lower their expectations of us. 

The second day involved less tears from all of us, a little compromise and intelligent use of the tin of Christmas chocolates I hadn't brought out yet, and over the week we are slowly slotting into a routine where most of the set work is completed, and there is less guilt for the pieces that are not.  I imagine much like the first lockdown which I documented weekly, this is an attitude that will change daily for the entire course of home schooling but I am hopeful that we can find a balance that helps us get through this long winter.

We are lucky to live near the seaside so we always have somewhere beautiful to walk for our allowed exercise, although the children have been complaining that they would rather find a forest or something different once in a while.  I have invested some Christmas money in a giant insulated bottle so we never again have to leave the house without hot chocolate and I am trying to get outdoors every day as I know my sanity needs it!  This lockdown is going to be harder, we are missing the sun and we have some idea how long this is going to last rather than taking it week by week.  I know there will be days I am overwhelmed by it all and that is just something we will have to deal with.  I hope the start of Lockdown 3 hasn't been too tough on you.

We finished all our work before lunch today, a combination of starting earlier and less being set on Friday, and they are all relieved that the first week is over and they can relax.  I am trying to catch up on all the things I have missed this week; emails, writing and perspective.  I know in some ways I have it easier, we are lucky to have enough devices for the children to work on, a warm house and plenty of food and my job is very flexible.  In other ways they have it hard, getting only 1/5th of my attention.  I believe it is ok to feel it hard even if your circumstances are ideal.  I am thinking of all those that have it hard, and those that are struggling in any way.

The children were sent these Serkku coats as part of an ongoing collaboration with Reima, our favourite outdoor brand and I love how easy they are to spot on a dark winter day and how cheerful they look.  They are all wearing Reima trainers or boots here which keep their feet roast warm. 

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Staying outdoors with Reima

Features clothing sent to us a PR Products

At the moment our area is considered 'medium risk' but I have seen how quickly things can change and so I feel more comfortable preparing for a stricter lockdown and closures over the next season. For me the prospect of a winter spent inside is a scary thing so we have been making sure we have everything we need to get outdoors whatever the weather.  I am going to be working with one of my favourite outdoor brands, Reima this winter and they sent the children waterproof trousers and jackets each. Of course Finn and Cora see the term waterproof as a challenge so we took them to our favourite puddle (surely everyone has a favourite puddle?).  My plan is that we continue to get out come rain or shine and make the most of the nature around us.  

We are lucky to be surrounded by beaches and parks and have woodland a short drive away.  We will be getting out as much as possible and so it is important to have the right gear.  We will get some thermals for the coldest days and waterproof boots and warm outer layers so there are fewer barriers to our outdoor adventures.  These Reima jackets are not only perfectly designed for having fun outside all winter, but they are also sustainably made of mono material which means they are easy to recycle when they finally give up too! We have had Reima products for years and they are all still going strong so I don't think we will be testing that for a while.  (Some are on the third child and still look almost new)

My plans for the winter don't involve soft play passes and cinema tickets but instead thermos flasks and hand warmers.  I am hoping that our options stay open, but if not we are making sure we are prepared for a winter using our energy elsewhere.  My children bounce off the walls if we stay in all weekend but they can't if we take away the walls!  Time outdoors is good for their physical and mental health  The children are wearing Kulkija jackets and Sild trousers and despite the mud Finn covered his in, it looked perfectly clean again before we got home!  The trousers are waterproof and warm however if you sit in a puddle (as Finn did of course) the water could go in over the waistband.  As you can see from the pictures, my children don't hold back when it comes to mud and puddles so I think these are going to be vital this winter!

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What the Kids are Wearing - Reima Sneakers

(Ad- Press Samples)

All 4 children ended up going back to their schools for some time at the end of term.  Dylan had 4 weeks of full time, Finn 3 weeks of part time, Archie got 4 days and Cora had 6 hours a week for a few weeks.  It has been difficult but they were all desperate to go back and it did them good.  Today is the last day of term though and the summer holidays is officially beginning for us.

After a strange few months, I think this summer is going to be quite different for us too as many of the things we usually do, like festivals are unable to open this year and we don't have many travel plans but we are looking forward to spending lots of time outdoors and getting as much 'normality' as we can whilst the sun is shining.  Some things have changed temporarily over this lockdown period and some things permanently. I hope that we continue to make the most of the beautiful area we live in and explore it further.

Reima let the children all pick some new trainers and it was no surprise to me when two of them went for pink.  For these mini explorers shoes need to be above all else practical, suitable for climbing and running and they don't want anything 'boring'.  I love the fact the same style crosses sizes so they all have matchy shoes, but the boys all have elastic laces and Cora has velcro.  The velcro sizes go from a  UK 6 to a UK 11 and the elastic sizes from a UK 11 to a UK 6.  As Dylan's feet grow at an astonishing rate it is nice to have easy shoes that fit him whilst most shops have moved on to a grown up style and real laces.  We also love that they are all machine washable!

I took a few photos of the children playing in their favourite place the other day, we met a friend there and the little ones loved borrowing her dog and taking him for walks.  (It is still a firm no to having our own though).  If you want to check out the Reima Sneakers then click through here

Now to look forward to an extra six weeks with these special little people of mine!

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An Evening at the Beach

The sun has been shining and our little corner of the world is surrounded by beaches so we are usually able to find a quiet one.  We decided to head there on the afternoon of the Summer Solstice and celebrated the longest day of the year with a BBQ on the beach and a swim in the sea.  The children all chose some new sun wear  which was gifted from Reima and it was one of the best evenings we have had in a long time.

It was 9pm before I could peel them away from the water.  The beach had lost its appeal a bit in the past but I think the lockdown and the closing of a lot of places has made us all appreciate the nature around us a bit more.  I have seen people get more involved in their local forests, discover new fields and footpaths and get to know their areas more.  For us we have tried different beaches to normal to avoid any crowds and the children have rediscovered the love of the sand and the sea.  They have been much more confident in the water than before and I love watching their imaginations as they play in the sand.

Archie managed to find a dead fish which provided a lot of entertainment and discussion (basically a science lesson?) and they were all fascinated to prod and poke it and ask about how it had washed up here.  Finn and Cora loved climbing all over the rocks and Dylan wanted to be in the water all day and refused to take his shoes off.

The Reima swimwear is all UPF 50+ protected and I like the long sleeves option to know the boys are more protected.  All 4 children chose their own and Finn was so excited to see his pink top when it arrived.  Dylan is easy to spot in his bright orange and I love how you can see their personalities through their choices!

For my family, this is what this section of lockdown is all about.  Spending time together, enjoying each other, staying outdoors and in our own space but having the freedom to be here.  I have got into better habits of bringing all our own drinks and snacks after everything shut and it means we are spending less and have more freedom on where we go (the main sands have ice cream huts and chips etc but this beach doesn't have any food or drink ammenities).  I hope that when the children and I look back on this time, these are the memories that last.

Reima swimwear is available on their website and the sizing is best to base on their heights rather than ages.  (All the children are wearing the correct sizes for their height bracket but only two are in the correct age)

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Dressing Children for a Ski Holiday with Reima

We all know children don't like being too cold and so when we prepare for a ski holiday with them, the important thing is making sure they have everything they need to keep them warm and dry.  We have worked with Reima again this year who make clothing suitable for Finnish winters which are pretty snowy and found that the children are always so comfortable and prepared for spending all day in the snow.

The children's skiwear was all supplied by Reima

Dressing a child for a snow holiday starts with a base layer.  Underneath everything you see, they need thermals and Reima sent us a set for each of the small people.  I usually pack 2 or 3 sets of clothes for mine for when they do indoor evening clubs but other than that they live in the thermals for the week.  They wear them all day, and then chill out in them like they might pyjamas when we are in our apartment.  These ones are soft and warm and the children never wanted to take them off.

Next up is a midlayer.  I found that my bigger boys were warm enough without one most of the week but the younger two were more keen to wear them.  These are a thin-ish fleece layer that is designed to keep the heat in and the boys all had fleeces whilst Cora had an all in one version.  All in ones are ideal for younger children who are not as active in their ski lessons and she was so warm in it!  The weather can be unpredictable up on a mountain so it is best to come prepared for the coldest weather (especially with children) and enjoy it if you don't need everything. I couldn't find many photos of the midlayers but you can see it on Cora here under her coat.

Ski Socks are important to keep little feet warm and again, can usually be worn all week.  We took ours off in the evenings and hung them up to air out.  Nice soft, thick ones are important for children in ski boots and you should always take along the socks you intend to wear skiing when you try on boots to buy or hire.

And finally, outerwear.  What I love about ski resorts is that nothing is too bright.  Even adults are dressed in all the colours and it helps a lot when you are trying to spot someone across a sheet of white!  I let my children pick their own outerwear from the Reima website and I love every part of it.

Dylan is 8 years old but tall and he went for an all in one.  These aren't that common in bigger sizes but he is wearing an age 10 and it was fantastic (Reima stock them up to age 14).  It means no snow can get up his back and he can get dressed easily.  It has a pocket in his arm for his lift pass (absolutely necessary in all skiwear) and pockets on his legs for snacks.  He loved it and has declared he will only be choosing all in ones from now onwards!

The other three chose bright salopettes which come with removable braces and all have adjustable waists.  They come up nice and high so you never get a chilly tummy! Their coats all had snow skirts, which is the fitted band underneath that stops any snow coming up your coat if you fall, and they all had multiple pockets.  I love the bright colours and designs and how well this range mixes and matches.  Everything was incredibly warm and waterproof!

We can't forget the accessories.  For a ski holiday they need good quality hats and gloves.  We always take two pairs of gloves in case one gets soaked through (there is nothing worse than cold hands!) 

Preparing for a first ski holiday with children can be daunting but it is one of our favourite family trips and all four children love being out on the mountains.  They never complain of being cold or wet (and they are more than capable of this at home) and I put this down to being prepared with the right gear for them.  You can check out their ski collection which is from baby to 14 years here and I would advise to never size up on the salopettes as we find them generous (you can see Cora's are rolled up in some pictures), and to measure your child's height to find the best fit rather than going on their ages.

As a guide, Dylan (8) is 142cm wearing size 140

Archie (6) is 127cm wearing size 128

Finn (4) is 112cm wearing size 116

Cora (3) is 93cm wearing size 98

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