We’re in the realm of the unwell but the kids are alright (mostly!)
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGHHH !!!!! The Little Fella’s ear bleeding scream bursts my right eardrum. A whack of a hurl to the shoulder as he passes. The oven timer going off, rainbow cake baked. Six messages, a missed call and three emails to answer: this working from home lark is a doddle!
Anyone who has had the experience of minding two children (or more) while trying to work can feel my pain as I write this, captain’s log 100 (or whatever!) on this perpetual odyssey to find a new normal. The day had started so well. An early to bed, early to rise decision late last night paid off dividends and I awoke with a spring in my step, but now it’s all out war: over an apple!
Or maybe something deeper. All parents have been struggling during this endless Covid summer – I don’t care how some spin it. Children too. Without the routine of school, creche, activities, play dates, birthday parties, playground trips etc, children are spending a good eight hours more at home some weekdays than they’re used to. In the ‘blended’ family situation in which The Whirlwind Wonder and The Little Fella exist we’ve all been put through the blender emotionally,
Homeschooling, for one, was a disaster, I called over and sat with my 6-year-old before work, at lunch and in the evenings, most days and we did academic exercises but among the things not made were: a rocket, a crab puppet. I make no excuses for it. In some family units one parent has been effectively off for ten weeks, which, in and of itself can be tough, but at least they had time to spend the required three hours a day making said rocket.
As an essential worker (quite the change from the other words thrown at journalists heretofore), I’ve been busier than ever. At home, working, rooted to the spot, means there is literally no escaping the sight of the laptop, contacts book etc. It’s like being on a carousel in a haunted theme park at times.
With the children expecting you to give them your undivided attention it’s all a recipe for disaster. So let’s speak truthfully now and acknowledge that all of us parents have allowed standards to drop: too much screen time is happening, too many treats are had, too little interaction, crankiness, grumpiness, ‘I never want to see you again’ teary eyed outbursts (from the children!), parental guilt.
For all but the lucky few, this is the reality of parenting during Covid and it’s not pretty.
Last week A leading Irish education expert recommended the priority focus be on ‘re-settling’ children back to both early years services and primary schools when they reopen, rather than playing ‘catch-up’ on the education curriculum. Thank you, Mr or Mrs Expert whoever you are!
Over the past ten weeks our two have developed numerous skills, become curious about everything from their gardens to the guitars in the corner, embraced imaginative play, baking, 5-minute hack creating, learned how to play hurling, learned countless new words and much, much more. The quicksilver, mercurial minds have been growing at a rate of knots, too fast for their hard pressed Daddy with stories on the brain. After the oven pinged and the Betty Croker icing was applied by yours truly, the cake (badly) cut through the middle and iced, she announces but I wanted a Cakeacropolis. Apocalypse is now!