It’s Sunday night and things are looking up a little. Here’s what I’ve learned today:
Self-determination is an illusion, but an important one. Instead of sorting school bags and uniform I’ve done a schedule for homeschooling. A flimsy plan, but it’s better than the ‘I want my life back’ tantrum that was threatening. I’m calm, I’m in control of my life!
Mother’s Day is better when you can’t get to the shops (especially if you’re lucky to be quarantined with some of your kids). Really. I didn’t have to pretend to like any gifts carefully chosen from our local supermarket. Instead, I had homemade lemon drizzle, a bike ride in the sun, and a few laughs. I also had time to call my own mother. Interesting to note how the Mother’s Day marketing wasn’t missed at all!
It’s amazing how opinions can change. Boy Three was laughing again today and it wasn’t anything we did to cheer him up. I set up a Zoom (who knew? SuperSister apparently) meeting for him and his pals today. They talked nonsense at each other as only 10-year-olds can and I noted that the noise that once drove me to tut and shush just made me smile today.
There’s a problem with social isolation. It felt so good to be out for a trot around the lanes and the village this morning. Then later the Boys and I, figuring it would be easier to keep our social distance, took our bikes out for a spin. What we learned, though, was that it doesn’t matter how hard you try it’s really difficult to ensure you don’t have to pass people out and about on pavements, paths and in parks. Apart from waiting until night or rain fall, I don’t know what we do about this.
A week’s a long time when you can’t go anywhere. It seems like such a long time since the carefree days of last weekend when you could go for a cup of tea in a cafe (which I did), or meet your pals at a fundraising night out (which I did), or visit your pals for a cocktail (which I did). Only seven days and it’s a foreign country already…