The day started well with two cups of tea in bed while my girls watched telly in their pyjamas. I got up in time to bounce around the living room with them to Joe Wicks’ PE session then had a long shower with no rush to get out. We all got dressed and made it to the dining table. The youngest did some colouring, the eldest wrote her diary, I drank a coffee. We weren’t late; no-one was expecting us to make it to school by a particular time wearing particular clothes. The novelty will wear off and there have already been moments of exasperation but the slower morning routine is a welcome relief.
We are all adjusting to a temporary new way of life, staying at home to prevent the spread of Coronavirus. You may feel overwhelmed by the sudden change in circumstances with everyone under the same roof at all times and no respite. There may be squabbles between siblings, the pressure to feed everyone, the struggle to work with children running riot or the confusion over how much you should be home schooling. However many plates are spinning, grab the opportunity to give yourself a break, in any way you can. There has to be a silver lining to this situation we find ourselves in.
A post on The Motherload®’s Facebook group made me smile. Jordan asked:
“What are you enjoying NOT having to do during lockdown?”
“My husband works in construction and I am loving not having to wash muddy clothes and having dust-free floors. It’s giving my washing machine a well earned break too!”
As you might imagine, not having to do the school run 5 days a week was a popular answer. Another unexpected joy for many MOLOs? Not having to wear a bra. However, if you are going to join your kids in the Joe Wicks workout, you may want to put your bra back on!
Have any of these been taken off your to-do list?
“Setting an alarm”
“Doing hair and make-up”
“Making packed lunches”
“Washing school uniforms”
“Ironing shirts”
“Commuting to work”
“Cleaning football boots”
“Taking the kids to the supermarket”
“Finding a suitable outfit to breastfeed in public”
“Feeling obliged to see people I don’t want to”
Share the Load
Perhaps with your partner at home you have noticed the workload in your household being shared out more equally:
“My OH has taken over the washing up (one of my hated chores) and the cooking.”
“My son wants Daddy to wipe his bum, not me.”
Save Money
Lots of us are worried about how our incomes will be affected but with shops, pubs, cafes and cinemas closed, there is less to spend our money on and maybe an opportunity to save or cut back. This was another positive point for some of the MOLOs who commented:
“Not wasting money on sandwiches that we can make at home.”
“No sneaky lattes. God, I miss them but I’ll enjoy my credit card bill when it comes!”
Spend time together
The real advantage for many families though seems to be the gift of time together and trying to appreciate that. Easier said than done some days! These MOLOs were determined to see the good in the situation even with hard times ahead:
“My other half is self-employed and has had all his work cancelled. Sometimes he is away from home for up to 6 weeks so it’s great not to have to do everything by myself with our 3 year old twins.”
“We’re looking forward to spending some time together. Our life is crazy hectic and although we are being financially tested I like to look at the positives.”
One MOLO said she was enjoying the chance to to turn down offers. She said: “I am allowed to say no to things. I say yes too often and my cup runs dry. Being stuck at home means I’m naturally having a bit more time for me.” Another said: “I’m enjoying not bombing around and slowing down, just taking pleasure in simple things.”
We will all get through in our own ways but trying to look for the positives may just help. Who knows, when all this is over, maybe we’ll have changed for the better and learned to live our lives a little differently.
No comments yet. Be the first one to leave a thought.