With the first month of a new year, we had a sense of hope that this year would allow us to embrace more of life than we were able to last year. Within days of ringing into the New Year hopes were dashed with another national lockdown imposed and schools closing their doors once again. We were lucky in some ways in that as we are a keyworker family the children are still able to attend school ging them a slice of normality.
I did joke to the children that the first lockdown brought us the sunshine, the second lockdown brought us their birthdays. Whilst this lockdown has brought us the snow.
The month that was… January 2021
Boo and What The Dad Said
There are more and more times recently when I feel as though we are passing ships in the night. Juggling our work shifts to be there for the children around school hours. Feeling fortunate to have had my festive contract extended until Mid-March. With my blog campaigns still reduced, it is good to know that I at least have an income coming at the end of the month. Finding myself enjoying the work, getting out of the house and feeling as though in some small way I’m making a difference – even if it just ensuring the stock is out on the shelves and looking tidy.
The snow did allow all five of us to get out of the house together and make the most of it. Building snowmen and snowball fight before heading inside for chocolate coffee (that’s what Piglet calls hot chocolate).
Roo
Back to school plans were thwarted with the announcement of the national lockdown. With Roo’s high school has had cases of Coronavirus we took the decision to keep her home for online learning rather than utilising a Keyworker place. At fourteen, she is able to manage her own lesson schedule, as well as safe to leave at home during the cross over of mine and What The Dad Said‘s shifts. Her workload has changed this lockdown to their usual lesson days and timings. Working ou much better than just sending tasks over to be completed throughout the week.
Thankfully she has a good friendship circle of girls with who she manages to keep in regular contact via video chats, messages and social media. Not quite the same as seeing each other in person but certainly the next best thing.
Tigger
For one day he managed to have the normal school life before closures were announced. Although as a Keyworker child he has still been attending obviously many of his friends are homeschooling. Due to the number of keyworker children at the school, he is situated with his Year group rather than sibling groups which I think is better for him. Giving him some respite from his sister’s – especially Piglet who like to monopolise his time at home.
At home he has been making headway on the computer games he received for Christmas. As well as spending some of his birthday money on some new books.
Piglet
Having had the foresight to pre-register the children as keyworker children I was proud of my organised self when we heard the news that schools would be closing. With Piglet being a social butterfly attending school is something that she really looks forward to and enjoys. Having her be able to continue her usual routine, seeing some of her friends and teachers have made the lockdown so much easier to deal with.
Life at home allows her to let her creative side shine, play with her siblings and enjoy us all at home together.
