A Letter To My Boys

Figures

UK Deaths: 34,636

UK Cases: 243,303

Worldwide Deaths: 314,683

Worldwide Cases: 4,771,676

This week

So lockdown restrictions were relaxed slightly in England and the ‘message’ changed to ‘Stay Alert’ rather than ‘Stay at Home’.  Scotland and Wales have stuck with the original message, at least someone is being sensible.  We can now go out and exercise as much as we want, with one other personal from another household (social distancing of course) and travel as far as we want to do it, as long as it doesn’t include an overnight stay.  Oh, and schools are to open to certain years groups on June 1st.

This, of course, caused confusion and delight in equal measure (for some).  We have seen anti-lockdown protests in London, the massive uproar over schools opening and people still flouting the guidelines because they don’t fully understand what the government have decided are the new rules…

Time to Think

As I’ve discussed previously, the lockdown has given us a huge amount of time to think.  This week I’ve found particularly difficult, I think because of the relaxation of the lockdown and still quite high levels of death in the UK.  I’ve noticed especially with ‘The Monkey’ a much more militant view towards schoolwork and why it needs to be done.  My boys are questioning much more and I want to discuss that with them, to listen to their concerns and not just say the old ‘just get on with it!’.  So I thought I’d write a letter to my boys.

Letter to my boys…

Dear H, F and S,

I know that things are a little strange at the moment.  I know that as the weeks go on, it gets harder and you have more questions.  We are going through something unprecedented, something that your kids and grandkids may well read about in their history lessons.  Maybe that will help when you next sit down to do a history lesson,  remember that real people lived through what you are learning about, real people just like you and me.

This week has been our most difficult yet hasn’t it.  With all the uncertainty around changes to the lockdown, with knowing that you still can’t really see your friends, that none of you will be returning to school before summer. No wonder you are questioning and pushing against why you have to do the schoolwork.

You are so brave, you see me crumble quite often and you rally round.  Part of me tries to stay strong infront of you, but another feels that you should see the reality of mental health issues, so we can discuss openly.  When you see me struggling the most, you give hugs and get on with your work quietly, without question.  When you do question the work we discuss and talk about why you should still do.  However we also decide sometimes that it maybe isn’t the most important thing that day.  That family time movies, or chatting with friends online is more important.  That watching the news headlines and talking about the changes worldwide is just as good for your education and development.

More than all I want for us to come out of lockdown, happy and ready to take on the world again.  I don’t want to risk anyone’s lives unnecessarily, so for now we stay home.  Missing a few lessons here or there seems less of a regret to me than the regret if one of us gets ill and we haven’t spent as much time together as we could.  It’s all about balance, and everyone’s balancing act is different.

I hope I haven’t let you down and taught you with honesty that humility, health and kindness are all you should wish for in life as everything else is a bonus.  You all make me so proud and it might not be easy at times, but spending time with you is the best thing I can ask for in such strange times.

Mum x

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How are you?

How are you all dealing with lockdown?  I think everyone is learning things about themselves, about others…  Are you enjoying, or are you hating every minute?  How are your children holding up, it’s not easy for them either!

Fay x

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