Lockdown with my 7 year old twins…
Sarah Hurford-Potter, Head of Finance aka Supermum shares how she has been keeping her twin girls positive during the pandemic…
I know my girls have really struggled with being away from their friends and having their movements limited to home. We’ve limited the amount and detail of Covid-19 news that they have been exposed to, but they are old enough to realise that there’s something major going on, and they worry about it – particularly in relation to their grandparents.
We’ve organised Zoom/WhatsApp calls to their friends, but they are only 7, and although they want to speak to/see their friends they struggle to hold a conversation for long – especially as they haven’t done anything or been anywhere very noteworthy!
Before lockdown we knew a couple of the our closest neighbours, but over the last couple of months it feels like we’re really getting to know the whole street – albeit from a distance!
- The girls have posted weekly cards/pictures/jokes to our neighbours, many of whom are elderly and some living alone. And we’ve had some lovely notes/emails from the neighbours to say how much they have appreciated the cards.
- One couple have even let the girls play with their dog, whilst they (the owners) stay a safe distance. The girls now love Lily the Labrador, and seeing her is the highlight of their day. They have also met a couple of children in the street, with whom they go on socially distanced bike rides around the close.
On Saturday the girls organised a little shop to sell their art and craft creations, and loved it!
They posted flyers advertising it, set up their shop, put chalk lines on the pavement at 2m intervals to keep everyone at a safe distance, and collected their takings for Naomi House Hospice. Our lovely neighbours were amazing, and (together with a couple of online orders from their grandparents) have raised £150.
Other neighbours have shared excess plants/flour/craft supplies – hugely appreciated, as we’re getting through ours pretty quickly!
Life is nowhere near normal, but the community spirit is alive and kicking in our street – I feel that we’re all making a small contribution to keep spirits up in our cul-de-sac, and hope this will become the new and lasting normal.