Weird times

Felt more positive when I woke up this morning.  Focussed too, which was novel. This week we just have 2 extra each morning.  It's still hard to get anyone to focus but we are finding our way.  I sat down at the table with the children this morning, used my laptop for a bit of work/printing from Twinkl.  It was better to be present in the room with them.  I'm hopeful for a better day tomorrow because I'm learning day by day what works and what doesn't, what helps and what doesn't and what we all need.  I'm grateful today for sunshine between the rainfall, local delivery service and the ability to pay over the phone for things, this makes it possible to support local businesses and stay socially distant!  Thanks to Derry's Nurseries for their compost and plants via free delivery!  This week we will be making resurrection gardens for Easter, weather permitting! Photos to follow!

Just laying in bed thinking about getting up.  Thinking about how things went last week with 'school', and scrolled past an article about dropping the ball, I didn't read it, but the feel of it resonated and got me thinking.  Last week seemed to start well.   Day 1 - Six kids sat down to work (not including my big kids).  Everyone seemed focused and got on well with the work and each other.  Day 2 - We're down to three children, still some focus but not quite like yesterday, still getting on well though. Day 3 - We have four now aged 6-10 yrs.  I've noticed we are having trouble focusing.  Even one I wouldn't have thought , and especially one I already noticed struggling yesterday BUT... I'm struggling too. Day 4 - Back to the same three as Tuesday.  Much less focus. Day 5 - Just us, focus no better.  I look back and see I struggled at the the start of the week to focus on anything.  I thought it was because I was going between...

Feeling much better today - phew! Period came early this morning (sorry if tmi), which was no surprise, but I'm sure my low mood was  partly   down to that looming, along with the current global situation, lack of normal routine, etc. So today I have read my First 5 study, sorted clean washing, made Becca's bed and got her to put back some of the teddies, read, rested, eaten with the family, shopped for the first time since all this madness started - that was a strange experience!  Shopping doubled up as driving practice for Loren so she waited in the car while I went in, well lined up outside and then went in.  I perused Facebook, listened to a video from Activate Your Life (Bekah Legg) about Exodus 16, played Mario Kart Wii with the kids and video messaged ma bestie.  Also been in touch with the siblings and picked up some bananas and easter goodies from the Garners across the village! I feel more positive, more energised and definitely more connected. ...

Covid-19 is taking over.   We are on lockdown in the UK. The kids have work from school to do at home, including a timetable to work to. We are key workers for key workers so we're open for business for them at least. Monday we had 6 in the morning, switched 3 for a different 2 in the afternoon. Tuesday we had 2. Wednesday we had 3. Thursday we had 2 again. The children bring their work to do.  If they can get on with it then that's great, if they can't focus then we're struggling because neither can I, and I don't know how to help them focus when I can't even help myself. I have so much that I can be doing.  There's always so much to do, that's not the problem. I could do any of the following (sorry boring list, but helps me get it down): tidy clean read crochet cross stitch knit accounts trackers x7 transition reports x4 file papers dust vacuum washing/drying/ironing/sorting BUT I feel physically tired.  My body doesn't ...

I started to blog, then I got stuck, so I wrote a couple more posts...they felt forced and difficult so I stopped, and went to pen and paper...which is odd for me because I much prefer typing.  Anyway, I decided to type up what I wrote so win win!  I don't know if anyone will be particularly interested in what I have to say, but maybe someone will and maybe it will help someone.  It's giving me an outlet and satisfying my typing itch, win win again! March 2020, COVID-19 IS HERE! I'm writing because I want to blog but I can't, I need to get words out but don't know... I'll write.  It may not make sense, but I hope it helps. I am struggling.

From last Friday at 3.15pm our schools closed for the foreseeable future.  All childcare settings are also closed, including childminders.  There is an exception.  We are allowed to remain open, and indeed many schools have remained open, to provide care for children of critical and key workers.  Schools have received strict guidelines to follow on who they are able to offer a place to during this time, they are only really able to take children whose parents are on the frontline.  There are many key workers still needing to work, provide vital services during this time and so we, as childminders, are stepping in and caring for the children of those key works unable to get a place at school.  Today we've had children of school teachers, charity workers and MOD staff who are supporting the effort against Covid-19 in their roles.  These children were not top of the list of priorities for schools to take them but there is no other option and as far as I c...

It was a strange Sunday.  We got up for church and watched the service on the Firestick Air Cast thingy.  After some trial and error we now know how we'll do it better next week, in such a way as to not see my incoming messages and also have a decent volume!  It was nice to still feel part of the community knowing other people were watching with us.  Popped to see mum and dad, mothers day gifts needed handing over and not being sure what's going to happen next I needed to see them once more.  We kept it short and talked about how to keep Nana safe, and all the aunts and uncles, I think they're all in the risk category in some way or another!  They're a close bunch and need to support each other, including Nana who is 91 and needs lots of help looking after herself.  Uncle A lives with her and helps her take care of herself, he'll do anything he needs to, but really he needs support in supporting her so all the siblings help out there where possible....

It's been a strange week. Covid-19 has been wreaking havoc, turning our lives upside down and for the most part I think I've been in denial.  I feel partly at least because I haven't fully comprehended the enormity of the situation, strangely.  I avoided a lot of the information on social media and never seemed to have time to watch or read the news so spent a while not knowing much, blissfully unaware.  Then the schools closed! I had to plug in a bit more at that point because now I needed to know things!  Like whether childminders had to close as well, and if we didn't, who could we care for.  Next came a barrage of questions on social media childminding groups, all wondering where we stand, when was the government going to address us directly and guide us, help us, would they provide support for those of us who can't remain open and don't have children claiming funded hours, were just a few of those questions.  Hours turned into days and still there a...