This is a tricky one and to be honest I don’t know if I have the answer. This last week has been many things, tricky, busy, calm, noisy and full on to name a few emotions and feelings. There are many reasons we may find ourselves in isolation with children, not just this virus that is trying its hardest to take over the world. There are times when chicken pox takes over in your home or maybe the noro-virus, whatever it is some days can be hard and others easier.
I won’t lie, yesterday was a hard day for me and the children. It seemed my son just wanted to shout and destroy everything in his path including his sister and all he wanted was to watch TV allllll day… but today is better. I don’t know why. It just is. We started off doing a mini exercise class on YouTube with the fab Joe Wicks, seriously love him! Then we did a yoga class with cosmic yoga kids. After that the children just wanted to be in the garden and who could blame them, it's warm today and the sun is shining in our part of the world. I have set the garden up with a few different stations thanks to a great friend of mine with her ideas! Reading, Duplo, small world animal play, mud kitchen, water play, balls, tunnel and chalk drawing. And so far so good, I can even write this blog as they play. It’s actually a joy to watch them today, happy and calm and super sweet watching Chloe reading her books while Leo is washing the “corona virus bugs” off various parts of the garden with a fairy washing up liquid bottle. Good old fairy liquid!
They just seem too happy to play on their own just now and not need me to guide them. And that’s great, we can’t be their entertainer all the time, its one thing I am concerned about, if I am constantly providing the entertainment for them will they get used to this and not be able to find their own fun and make believe..?
Who knows how long it will last but I am happy with the half hour I have had...
I’m also finding it super supporting to have friends in the same boat. We all are cheering each other on from my neighbours next door with their kids to my friends far and wide on what’s app. Modern technology has a lot to answer for these days and it has been so awesome to have sooooo many kids play activities online and live by so many awesome “play givers”! I guess that’s what is keeping us going!
A few pictures of us today, playing with smiles…lets hold on to these moments….tomorrow could be a whole different ball game…!
Happy playing families,
Rachael,
Your paediatric Sleep Consultant
xo