Tag: covid-19

School’s Out For Christmas!

~ lifewithmytribe ~ Leave a comment

The uniform is washed, ironed and hung back up in the wardrobe, the Christmas nibbles are making an appearance and we plan on living in nothing but our pyjamas for the next couple of weeks. This year is so different for everyone, and because of that it hasn’t really felt like Christmas to me until today, I mean, I love being festive and we’ve had the tree up since early November but I guess it’s just been a fake it ’til you make it situ for me until now. Anyone would think we’ve spent enough time at home this year but the break from the school routine was much needed for me! I’m starting to think a lot about this year now it’s coming to an end and I’m really digging deep to think about the things I’m grateful for and things I/we have achieved this year – the ultimate being that we are all here and healthy obviously, but when you really sit and think about it there is so much we can all be thankful for.

I’ve panicked and stressed over this Christmas more than I usually would which has done me no favours at all, but now I’m in a much more positive place with it all. I think it’s just been the uncertainty of it all, would we be able to see our loved ones? will the shops be open so I can buy gifts? is everyone going to stockpile again? I’m always quite organised anyway when it comes to Christmas so in hindsight I probably didn’t need to stress as much as I have done but that’s easy for me to say when my anxiety isn’t rearing it’s ugly head, I think not just as parents but as human beings in general we can be so harsh on ourselves sometimes and although I don’t ever make new years resolutions as such, in 2021 I want to be kinder to myself and stop beating myself up over the tiniest of things.

I cannot wait to get the big Christmas food shop done and indulge in the ‘special’ things that we don’t get all year round, and being all cosied up on the sofa watching the kids pester Ash for a screwdriver and the battery box with a Christmas Special of some kind on the TV. I could waffle on for an age but I haven’t yet wrapped a single present of the kids so I best crack on. Whatever you find yourself doing this Christmas just go easy on yourself, reach out if you need too, embrace how different this year is and strip it back to what really matters.

Merry Christmas,

Living With Anxiety | COVID-19

~ lifewithmytribe ~ Leave a comment

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I wanted to talk about this a little bit more, for my own sake more than anything else but if it helps someone else in the mean time then win win. Yesterday I fell down a news/media hole due to the number of COVID-19 deaths rising rapidly and I found myself reading some stories from some not so reliable sources and it just clouded my entire thought process and coping strategy to get through this whole shit show. However this isn’t the first time since the outbreak that I’ve found myself doing this therefore I do know what I need to do to stay in as positive head space as possible. I mentioned in my previous post that finding the balance between watching the news as a responsible adult, parent, member of society and knowing when I’ve seen and heard enough for the day was key for me, and it still is but we all have our off days don’t we?

One of, if not the main trait that comes along with my anxiety is irrational thoughts. I’ve made the mistake of having the news on whilst the kids are up and about, the daily death toll comes in and bam, my irrational thoughts hit me like a ton of bricks and I’m Facetiming my mom frantically. So I’ve decided to write a list of all the things that help calm my anxiety and really make an effort to do more of them whilst we’re all in isolation – not always easy with two children and having to fit in school work during the day but I’ve made it a priority.

  • Reading A Book – When ‘lockdown’ was first spoken about and everyone was out panic buying toilet roll and pasta I was ordering all of the books I’d had my eye on for a while. Getting my head stuck in to a book makes me unwind like nothing else, it’s my absolute favourite past time!

  • Podcasts – I’ve got a list of podcasts saved and I stick them on when I need to be distracted or when the kids are busy/napping. They make me feel as though I’m speaking to other adults rather than just standing in my kitchen window doing the washing up. I listen to anything from football ones to parenting ones, I find that podcasts encourage me to be more productive and are super for when I’m too busy to sit down with a book in hand.

  • Houseparty – This app is an actual godsend. We spend so much time with our family on both sides so it’s really getting to us not being able to see them, and I would say it does trigger my anxiety sometimes so being able to get each household in to one video call on this app is amazing… and not only that you can play games on it too. It’s a brilliant way to pass the time and stay connected with family and friends.

  • Crafting – Getting the good old PVA glue and glitter out with Lily is such a good distraction for me. I loooove Pinterest and whenever I look on there it always makes me feel like we don’t craft enough because there are endless ideas on there and it’s quality time together that children will always remember when they look back on their childhoods, or I do anyway…. and it’s a fab way for kids to learn whilst being off school.

  • DIY – We’ve been in isolation for little over a week and I’ve already got so many jobs done that have been on the to do list for ages, I mean, we had the wall mount for Lily’s TV for over a year and now it’s finally up! Wardrobe clearouts have gone down, cupboards and toy clear outs have happened and now I’m just left with a load of bags for the charity shop but it’s such a good feeling to spring clean and get stuff done within the home that have been in the pipeline for what feels like forever.

And obviously, nothing beats spending time as a family, playing with the kids and just making each other laugh and smile through this scary time full of uncertainty. These are just a few things that ease my anxiety and will help me through staying at home during this time but there are lots and lots of things going on that you can do from virtual pub quizzes to live workouts, we just need to be as creative as possible with what we have throughout this.

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Here are some useful websites that I’ve been looking at to help me with my own anxiety:

NHS – Worried About Coronavirus? | MIND – Coronavirus and your wellbeing. | BBC News – How To Protect Your Mental Health

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Parenting & Self Isolation | COVID-19

~ lifewithmytribe ~ Leave a comment

As a family & with anxiety.

Well 2020 is just brilliant so far isn’t it? I’ve never wished for a fastforward button more than I have right now and I really wish we could just wake up and realise that we’ve all been living the same nightmare. I think it’s super important to remember that not just as parents but as human beings this day in age we are all in the same boat right now, up shit creek without a paddle. We’re living through something that none of us have been through before so none of us will have the answers and we’re all learning as we go along.

I’m the first one to admit I love sending Lily to school, but I long for the school holidays as I crave family time and memory making, but to us school holidays don’t mean being stuck within our home. The thing that is paramount for me to remember above everything whilst we’re going through this pandemic is….. my mental health. I feel like if my mental health is taken care of then so is everything else, it’s that simple. I’d got so consumed by the news it frazzled my brain so finding the balance between being a responsible parent/adult by reading the news and keeping up to date with the developments of COVID-19 and limiting how much news/media I invest in was key to me, and since finding that balance (for now) I feel much better and more positive. Also as always self care for me is vital, when the first case of Coronavirus was confirmed in our area one of the first thing I did believe it or not wasn’t bulk buying toilet roll or pasta but it was buying a few books that I’d been meaning to for a while as for me self care is getting lost in a book.

So for me, everything stems from my mental wellbeing, if I’m in a healthy state of mind then I’m able to rationalise my thoughts and plans, which leads me on to the teaching from home that the majority of schools have put in place for our children. I wanted to mention this because there’s already enough anxiety and worry in the air without the stress of wondering whether or not we are doing enough for our children education wise and the truth is that our children will probably remember this time as the most amazing time spent together as a family regardless of what we choose to do in doors whether it be reading, writing, maths, playing in the garden or stuffing their faces whilst watching a movie. Don’t let what you see others doing with their children put pressure on you and tarnish the time you spend with yours. Although it be through scary and uncertain circumstances we don’t get this amount of time with our school age children usually so all that really matters is that we make the most of it.

So how much are our children asking about Coronavirus and how much are we telling them? one thing I’ve found is that we can’t control what our children hear in the school playground ultimately meaning they come home asking questions and more often than not Lil’s caught me off guard meaning I’ve been backed in to a corner having to explain things to her before I’ve really thought it through. School have been brilliant again with Lily as she came home telling us about “catch it, bin it, kill it” with a hand washing routine and telling us that germs are everywhere so the conversation was pretty easy for us, we were guided by Lily really and took the time to find out everything that she already knows. There are some really developmentally appropriate resources that can be found on the internet to tell children not just about germs and viruses but about COVID-19 in particular. However, one question she did ask was “when do I go back to school?” and I didn’t want to fill her with false hope so reassuring her that as soon as we know that we will let her know too was the best thing possible.

From our household to yours at this worryingly uncertain time… stay safe and well.

Lots of love,

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