At the time of writing this, we’ve been in lockdown for a little under one week.
While I don’t think my situation is completely unique, I do believe I have a little advice for other parents and families during the 21-day lockdown.
Myself and my husband both work in industries considered essential services, him in telecommunications and me, of course in media.
We have a busy, three-year-old boy, Layton, who loves to run around, play and learn new things. He’s a typical boy, happiest rolling around with his dogs, making mud and playing with friends.
Our journey started when it was announced that schools would close and Layton has been at home since March 19.
By the time the lockdown is lifted, he would have spent just shy of a month, confined to his home and yard.
As parents this prospect, in its self, was daunting. We need to work and he needs active stimulation.
Layton is an overall active and friendly child who thrives on socialising.
This little guy loves to run, he’s made friends with the neighbour’s children, and he has an unbreakable bond with his grandpa.
After schools closed, he was still able to spend time with his grandpa and we worked out a schedule which allowed us to take turns going to work and working from home.
On days when there was no other option but for both parents to head into the office, Layton would visit grandpa.
When the lockdown was announced, we as parents took the decision that the first and second day of lockdown would be more like a holiday for Layton.
He was allowed to stay up late, we didn’t monitor screen time and he was allowed to blow through his lockdown snacks as he pleased.
Yes, it was not the right thing to do, but we decided to ease him into not being allowed to leave his yard where we would normally go for family walks, trips to do shopping and outings.
By day three of lockdown, we sat him down and explained the situation to him, it only took four attempts.
He finally understood that he couldn’t play with his friends next door, he wasn’t allowed to visit grandpa, he couldn’t go to the shops with mommy and he wouldn’t see his school friends for a very long time.
Social distancing and lockdown are not things a three-year-old takes well too.
We then started to implement our routine.
Layton and I start the day with breakfast and a cartoon.
At around 10am, we do a little learning, counting, colouring, painting, sorting and basic maths.
Dad takes over from there for a session of free play.
Then its family lunch time, something quick or cooked, Layton gets to choose.
After lunch, it’s time for mom to take over again as we do practical learning, we bake, or craft or garden. We also do our exercises and spend time with the dogs.
Then Layton gets a little screen time, an education game on his tablet or a cartoon, the choice is his.
Dinner time is a family affair again. We cook together and eat together.
Then it’s bath time and bed.
Routine has been instrumental in our household and this means we have a happy and stimulated toddler.
A few things we’ve done:
• Started an earthworm farm – Educational and green. Earthworms are easy to look after and we feed them all out of veggie off cuts, the unfinished fruits and eggshells. As a bonus, we use the nutrient rich soil the worms leave behind to feed out pot plants.
• Baking time: We decided that every third day would be baking day. We’ve made cupcakes, cookies, cinnamon rolls and bread. Toddlers love to be helpful and Layton really enjoyed this.
• Started a tomato garden: This was a chance to Layton to get dirty and learn about how veggies grow.
• Built a blanket fort.
• Called his cousins on Zoom for a chat.
• Set up container boats in the lounge for story time.
• Made playdough: Daddy and Layton had a great time making their own playdough using a recipe from Karaglen SuperSpar’s blog.
Perfect Playdough
You’ll Need:
· Food colouring
· 2 tablespoons of cream of tartar
· Half a cup of salt
· 1 tablespoon of oil
· 1 cup of flour
· A cup of boiling water
Method
Start by mixing together the cream of tartar, salt, and flour. Ensure that it is combined well. Next, add in the oil. Add a few drops of food colouring to the boiling water. Now, add the water mixture to the flour mixture. Mix everything together. Massage the mix with your hands until it is no longer sticky. When the mixture has cooled completely it can be wrapped in plastic and stored in an air-tight container. This will last for around six months.
