In January 2021 the dreaded news came: schools were closing to all students. I can cope with most restrictions, but closing schools broke my heart. The children were so upset — Isla even cried herself to sleep — and it hurt knowing how much they’d miss their friends and routine. I wanted to write down how we’re feeling during lockdown 3 and share some things that are helping us.
First up, the guilt — I’m sure every parent feels it. Am I doing enough? Are the kids socialising enough? Are they on screens too much? Getting enough exercise? Have I ignored them today? How long can we keep this up? Why isn’t it ending? I ask myself these questions daily, sometimes hourly. It’s exhausting. Mum guilt hits hard when you’re trying to work, parent and teach all at once. There are so many emotions and opinions; trying to keep everyone happy feels impossible.
I try to carve out a few minutes between meetings to check in with the kids — top up drinks, answer a spelling question, see how they’re doing. We go for a dog walk at lunchtime or they jump on the trampoline for half an hour to burn off energy. They’ve been bouncing in rain and snow lately and come back with red, cold legs. We always eat lunch and dinner together; it’s a good time to chat and catch up.
Playing family games has been a lifesaver. We play Monopoly Deal after dinner most nights. I’ve never won — the kids are brilliant and have picked up some ruthless tactics. I’m secretly proud of how sneaky and clever they can be. Giving them puzzles and logic challenges keeps their brains active.
I’ve never felt so tired, not even at the end of pregnancy. The kids are going to bed later, probably because they’re not as worn out as when they’re at school. That pushes my evening routine back — baths and sorting things happen later — and I’m often not asleep until around midnight, which is too late for early starts. Sticking to a routine is hard but essential, otherwise I’d be late logging into work. Trying to get to bed earlier means missing time with my partner, and I know we’ll struggle to reset bedtimes once lockdown ends.
To help with the tiredness, we’ve been encouraging more exercise: walks, trampoline time (they don’t need much encouragement) and Zumba classes. It gets their hearts racing and usually wears them out so they sleep more easily. Otherwise we end up checking on them countless times. One of our favourite bedtime lines is, “I can’t sleep — every time I close my eyes I open them,” to which we joke, “Have you tried not opening them?” They’re adorable, but when you know a tired child will turn into a gremlin the next day, you get desperate to get them to bed earlier.
Are you doing anything different during lockdown to ease worries? I hope some of these tips help, or at least let you know you’re not alone in feeling exhausted and guilty. I’d love to hear any tips you have.
If you need information on the current rules in England, see gov.uk/coronavirus.
