The Reality of Raising Children in a Lockdown

A little while ago I published a blog post called The Lockdown Silver Lining. In this blog post I wrote about all of the positive things about being stuck in a lockdown. For example, being able to spend more time with my children and having more time outdoors. I still stand by those things. Just last week we went on a daily walk and our girls had lots of fun paddling in the stream and skimming stones.

There is however, another side to lockdown that I’ve been finding tough recently, and that’s the constant demand to entertain our children.

Now I understand they’re finding it tough. I am too, but I feel drained, and at times I feel like a bad mum because all I want to do is nothing. I don’t want to play dolls. I don’t want to play ‘puppies’. I don’t want to play anything. I just want to sit and do nothing, but I feel bad for doing that. I’m snapping at my girls because they’re constantly saying, “Mum! Can we play this…?” or “Mum! What can we do today?” or “Mum! I’m bored!”

Guess what kids? So am I!

I feel like I should play with them all the time but I also feel like they’re eight years old – entertain yourselves!

I guess it’s hard at the moment because we can’t do the things we would normally do. We can’t go to the park, the beach, the farm, into town shopping or the cinema. We’re all trying our best to get used to our current new reality and understandably the girls are missing their friends and the routine that school gives them, as well as their extra-curricula activities.

I guess it’s hard for all of us and while I do cherish the extra time we have with each other, it’s also hard getting used to it as well.

How are you coping with life in lockdown? Let me know in the comments below.