Well, we survived the first week of lockdown … just!
It would be quite easy to get into bed for the next goodness knows how many weeks and just stay there under the duvet. But as a mum, that isn’t an option. Having said that, I am pretty sure that my two teenage boys would happily stay under their duvets, the Xbox controller in one hand and their phones in the other.
But I have to say that living in lockdown has led me to do a few weird and wonderful things that, if you had told me a few months ago I would be doing, I would have laughed. Hysterically.
Homeschooling
Homeschooling definitely tops the list. The teens are impossible to homeschool. The older teen was supposed to be doing GCSEs, so he does have work but he is point blank refusing to do it. I think the shock of everything that happened last week has sent him into a spiral of not wanting to do anything at all after months of slogging away.
The younger teen is proving to be a challenge. He is being set daily work from school and with GCSEs looming for him next year, he does need to be working but it is so hard getting him to even get out of bed, let alone do the work.
My daughter is ten and was really upset by the school closures, so with the help of Twinkl, I am attempting to home school her. We have a timetable and everything. I am trying to keep her busy with a mix of activities but my goodness, it is hard work. I am seriously looking forward to the Easter holidays next week already!!
PE Every Day
God bless Joe Wicks, currently the PE teacher to the world. If you had told me a few weeks ago that I would be getting up every morning and doing a Joe Wicks workout, I would have laughed and laughed. I am not known for my desire to exercise, I am happy to take the dog for a walk but that is about my limit these days. But not any more, the dog walks are still in play but every weekday I have been up and lunging and star jumping with the rest of the world. It is actually a great way to start the day and I would even consider carrying on with these work outs when things go back to normal. But maybe not every day …
Making A Single Jar of Jam
One of the things my daughter wanted to do this week was make jam. We did make jam once, many years ago. We picked fruit, used a mahoosive jam pam that someone gave me and made many jars of the stuff. It was amazing but messy and time consuming. Whilst I love the idea of being self-sufficient, my 75 pence jars of supermarket own jam are just fine by me. But my daughter has watched far too many cookery programs as she explained to me that there must be an easy way to make jam as they do it on Bake Off. So we searched the wonders of the world wide web and lo and behold, there are many recipes to make one jar of jam.
That is what we did. My daughter is very proud of her efforts and it tastes really good. Who knew?
Avoiding People
I don’t know about you, but going out for our daily permitted walk isa very strange experience indeed. There aren’t many people around which is weird in itself but it is the lengths we are all prepared to go to, to avoid human contact; crossing roads, walking in different directions, making big detours to avoid people. It feels quite rude and whilst I know it is an necessity at the current time, it still feels very strange.
Not Go Shopping
I love shopping. I really, really love shopping. I am not a shopaholic but it does come close. Not going to any shops, not even the supermarket is something I would never have expected. My husband is quietly rejoicing of course and he keeps making comments about these new habits we are forming carrying on when normal life resumes. I am laughing inside, thinking about the huge shopping spree I will definitely be going on once the shops reopen again.
Playing Supermarket Roulette
Obviously, online shopping is still permitted and as I am having to self-isolate, the online supermarket shop is a lifesaver. I was sensible enough to book ahead a few slots when this all started and I am so glad I did as delivery slots are now like gold dust. All slots are booked three weeks ahead and when they release the next available day, they go in minutes. It is like trying to book tickets for Glastonbury.
Saturday night I had a cunning plan. I had work to do, so I decided to wait up until midnight and book a slot when they were released. At midnight, the supermarket site in question went down for about thirty seconds. I held my nerve and the we were in, slot booked, checked out. Done. Everyone else in the house was asleep but I was giddy with excitement. I think I need to get out more .. oh hold on, I can’t. Supermarket roulette it is then for the foreseeable future.
Those are the weird and wonderful things I am finding myself doing in this ‘new normal’ and slightly bizarre time. The important thing of course is staying well, which thankfully we all are at the moment. What weird and wonderful things are you finding yourself doing during lockdown?
Photo by Edwin Hooper on Unsplash
Well done on making the jam! Our lockdown experience is similar, but different. I think we’re the only people in the world not doing Joe Wicks, although my daughter is doing Oti Mabuse’s dance class every day instead. I’m very lucky that my daughter just gets on with her work, and that my son’s school isn’t setting anything for year 11s. I had booked a few weeks ahead for my Tesco order too, but I felt too guilty about vulnerable people, so I cancelled them. I am now attempting to go the supermarket only twice a week, which isn’t easy as I usually go most days. As an extra challenge, I have to do my parents’ shopping too.
Sarah MumofThree World recently posted…Coronavirus: Weekends – then and now
I think situation like this will not be come again our lives. This is so hard times for everyone. Staying home and eat organic food best for everyone. Yeah lots of thing i can’t did in my life but i did in past few days. Stay safe.