MODERN FAMILY
THE ironing basket had been building up in the corner of the utility room for so long I couldn’t keep ignoring it.
Working from home, not going on night’s out and only leaving the house to exercise means that the amount of clothes that actually need ironing has decreased significantly in the past three weeks. But when bits and pieces kept falling on my head every time the washing machine was opened, I couldn’t put it off any longer.
Ironing is one of those things I thought I didn’t have time for in my “busy” life, but it turns out it is just the job at the top of “hate doing” list.
What took me by even bigger surprise was that it would bring on another emotional moment, of which there have been many in the past month.
It was all because underneath all the shirts, trousers and dresses, son junior’s school uniform was at the bottom of the basket. He might never get to wear it again, but I still spent time over the trousers with the worn knees, and the top that has the pen marks that stubbornly refuse to come out. Maybe the thinking was that if they were ironed, he might get to go back to year six at some point before the end of term to finish off his (and our) last term in primary school.
Just a few short weeks ago the conversation revolved around his school trip to the Urdd’s Llangrannog centre, a Welsh rite of passage for schoolchildren up and down the country, and whether he would be able to find his neatly packed pyjamas on this trip (the last trip away resulted in him not checking his bag properly and wearing the same clothes for three days).
Like so many children who have missed out on sitting their exams, on their proms, on their last days in school ever, it looks like he will be missing out on the leaving party, on getting his shirt covered in signatures on the last day of term like the one that still hangs in his brother’s cupboard, on those vital preparations for high school.
And, have I been on my last school run without even realising it?
These last few weeks have been devastating for all as we have had to abruptly adapt to “the new normal”.
I have been amazed by how well the children have taken it in their stride, but they are missing their friends, missing being able to go out and about now it has finally stopped raining.
The experts tell us to be compassionate and listen to our children when they speak about their worries, and to remember that children watch us for psychological cues.
They suggest that they need to have as much structure as possible, so carry on with regular mealtimes, spending time together, study time when school starts back again and keeping to bed times.
For now, the ironed uniform has been hanging neatly in the wardrobe, in the hope that he will get to wear it again.