Community Reporter and Mums into Business Edinburgh Social Enterpreneur, Sindy Santos provides Top Tips on how to make the most of this social distancing until the Coronavirus outbreak passes.
Bonding with the family, home schooling, learning life skills. A lifesaver of an Article packed with strategies, techniques and new teaching tricks with fun daily activities you can do all in one place, Home, Sweet Home. Research, Reflexion and Raps included.
After following experts’ advice about the current global pandemic; being at home is safest for each and every one of us on the planet at the moment. I didn’t hesitate and kept the children out of school and nursery one week earlier than it was officially announced.
It helped me take that decision when the UK Government’s chief scientific adviser (GCSA) made public the plan to let most of the population get infected to attempt build herd immunity. Kids don’t usually get sick but can carry COVID-19 and equally transmit it.
I observed people kept going about their normal life either from not being well informed, not interested in the topic or believing that not having symptoms meant they never caught it, not realizing the incubation period takes a few days and sometimes doesn’t even show at all.
I think Prime Minister’s Cabinet must have been fully aware of the urgent situation for the last two months but didn’t want to act. This country is still a few weeks ahead of neighbours’ who have been suffering catastrophic spread of the disease, collapse of hospitals and deaths.
To the contrary, the UK people were getting rather confusing messages such as avoid pubs, only go out if it is necessary, keep distance at the hairdresser and finally close the shoe shops.
I suspect it was the voice of 680,432 citizens with their signatures in a petition to the Parliament urging to close the schools in order to avoid spread the virus. They were finally shut, but only happened last Friday.
I feel a number of lives have been put at risk since that first press conference and avoiding closing pubs and restaurants until the final reluctant closure of Schools.
Politics aside, I had the feeling this was coming. I was looked at as if we were aliens for deciding to stay at home, 12 days now on, safe to say Overreaction is better than no reaction and prevention better than cure. So here I am, more than one week ahead of main carers panicking because kids are back home! Moreover, with a School Learning Pack under their shoulder. To the contrary, we are enjoying this break to the max.
It is understandable, worries of all kinds crossing people’s minds. But financially there are measures in place available from the Government and other organisations for all sectors and individuals. All info on their official websites.
Besides, not going out to restaurants, shopping for the sake of it, using petrol for the car, taking a plane, paying for clubs, getting your hair done, etc. etc. You will save you lots of money when you calculate how much money will you be saving this month? Plus an invaluable impact on Climate Change!
Our previous generation was asked to go to War, today we are only asked to stay cosy at home.
Thus how to cope with the situation only needs a wee change of behaviour or perspective and lots of common sense. In no time life will be back to the usual routine, many will miss the laziness, time off and being away from their love ones.
This is just a temporary state
Why not make the most of this break,
mate?
Keeping yourself away
lowers the Coronavirus rate.
Washing hands again
makes everbody safe.
Keep calm. That being said
No need to make
too much debate
We need some faith
It is past eight!
Kids go to bed late!?
Let them play
Enjoy them until May
Love or Hate?
Shouldn’t we embrace
this temporary change
I truly think is great!
My approach to help stop this worldwide disease as an individual and a member of the community was firstly keeping totally away from the public. Secondly, doing an early spring cleaning, bedding etc. with bleach always on hand.
Since there is no rush to do the school run I soak kids in bubbly baths making it a fun morning start, good way to get out of pajamas and wear casual clothes the rest of the day.
Thirdly I adapted to the unexpected situation gradually, making it stress free as if we finally were on a well deserved holiday, unpacking suitcases of educational and entertainment activities for all. So handy to have a backyard and the spring weather on our side.
Realistically thinking we are going to be at home for a month or so. In our case with three children, 4, 6 and 8 years old, no time for boredum, expecting toddler’s tantrums and pre-teen attitude. Ready to take it as a life hack teaching oportunity.
So Adults, the Plan is:
Get yourselves busy doing things you always wanted to do but never found time i.e make digital photo albums, record family videos, catch up on reading, redecorating the house, paint walls/fences, rearrange the closet with seasonal clothes, look after yourself – workout, aerobics, beauty home made remedies, facial masks, sewing/mending, DIY, repairs, take the spring summer stuff out as well as the Christmas board games and lights, creative cooking, painting, drawing, therapy colouring, family reunion with games, time to teach or learn chess, crochet or piano lessons online or another language. Rearrange the house: if living in a flat: make a kids’ special corner/Den, turn a room into a temporary man’s cave. If there is garden, get a new shed or redesign the old one for the same purposes, make a play/tree house with pallets, etc. Mattress, rugs, yoga mats always on hand to lie down, stretch, read, nap, play, count stars. Movie night, relax if you must.
Parents Mental Health is crucial to pass on the Good Vibes:
Treat yourself first,
hide the chocolates,
drink the wine,
from time to time
navigate online.
Do what suits you best.
There is no right or wrong.
Change strategies as you go.
Multi-tasked we are known
But this recipe comes with extras, you know,
Anxiety, fears, stress, go grey or bald.
It is OK not to be Ok
Open the window, shout loud,
We are allowed.
But Hey-ho mixed with joy,
seeing them grow,
fun, quality time, bring it on!
Plan, anticipate, programme yourself ahead;
Feed them early and well
before asking for excess:
sweets, treats.. Shops have less and less!
Good breakfast, early lunch
Will stop them all day munch, munch.
It is the era of internet
their fav entertainment, we expect.
Charge devises once again. Checked!
Run out of bread? Flour out, pizza, pancake?
As if in the Army, get them organised
They’ll do what you ask
Maybe not Home schooling all the tasks
Family meditation: what makes each others mad, happy, sad, nuts?
Let them answer, they are smart.
More fights than the usual?
Ask, how to make it up?
Everyone create a chart, lots of rewards
Like a wee walk? but no too far!
Fresh air, garden you have?
Defo the lucky one, endless fun outside
Spring weather on our side,
Planting seeds in our out.
Obstacle course, find insects, bugs,
Hot drinks in mugs:
Best medicine to kill the Coronavirus one
Campfire, if you can.
And to the Dear Teens
who feel locked in
Invited them to watch a Hospital ward.
Studying, Reading,
Not appealing?
Start writing to elderly Love cards.
And if you make good choices online
Off you can go party with pals on WhatsApp
But early start, there’s a date with Maths.
And then.. family time!
Yes, because if you look around,
For once you will realize
That is the best price on the Rewarding Chart.
For some, the fact of staying at home no choice following the recent announcement of UK lockdown is a Make it or Break it situation. For others this will open their eyes, wanting to work from home instead, away from danger.
And we, human beings, being the danger of the planet, somehow, shouldn’t we always keep this distance? Specially with Nature itself. Think of Climate Change. Most CO2 emissions come from aircrafts, traffic, factories, unnecessary shopping, excess of food, drinks, public building energy expenses… Today most everything is shut, stopped, frozen. Fish swim freely, vegetation grows, purer air. A break for the Planet.
Mother Earth is teaching us there is no such a thing as borders, walls, but superpower nations without power. No money can buy the richest person’s life. Only one race, still don’t admit you are as equal as me?
COVID-19. United we’ll fight it.
Sindy Santos, Journalist
All views expressed in this article are the authors own. If you have any tales of the coronavirus closures and would like to share them get in touch with us at digitalsentinel@whalearts.co.uk.
