Irene WignallWorking from home is something I’ve always wanted to do. Waking up at a reasonable hour, not having to put make up on, hair tied up, pj’s on, able to put a load of washing on throughout the day…… Perfect or so I thought.
Fast forward to Covid -19. I am on self-isolation as one of the kids has a cough, I know it’s nothing serious but likewise I do not want to put anyone else at risk. So, I opt to work from home for fourteen days. The kids’ school has closed. So, they will be with me. They can be my co-workers.
I am naturally a very organised person, I had this completely under control. A breeze I thought.
My co-workers are five and seven years old. How much schooling will they actually need? I have pieces of work that I can further in my fourteen days of isolation all I need is a plan.
I download lots of resources from the internet, I subscribe to Joe Wicks Pe Lesson every day and I sit and write a timetable. I give my co-workers one pound in change so they can buy snacks throughout the day teaching them the value of money. I obviously share all this on social media just to prove how much I am acing this multi-tasking lark.
Day 1 they run out of money before lunch, we attempt Joe Wicks, my co-workers, for about 30 seconds, they then sit and watch me complete the rest.
I set the out our office on the dining room table set them some tasks and open my emails.
Address one email and then hear Mummy how do I do this, Mummy where is the Ipad, Mummy my co- worker has just punched me.
Right let’s break for lunch. And fifteen minutes of whatever you want to do. Ipads out, their fifteen minutes turn into an hour while I address email, two, three and four.
Guilt sets in, they need fresh air, right go on the trampoline and jump one hundred times each, whilst counting- Maths lesson completed.
Whilst my co workers ,are jumping and counting, email five and six addressed.
Give my co-workers two lego sets to complete, they can improve their fine motor skills and problem solving. We haven’t had lego in our house before. I did not know that I have to find each tiny piece for them!!!!! No emails addressed.
Mid-afternoon, my co -workers have a fight. I walk away and put myself in a dark room for thirty minutes. Again, guilt sets in I come down to find my co workers have barricaded the lounge door to stop me from coming in.
Ok I’ll start again tomorrow with a different plan…..AND REPEAT.
Everyone is adapting, there are things that are totally out of our control but all we can do is our best, at work, at home and we will get through this. If you are struggling reach out to someone else in a similar position and I can guarantee we are all feeling the same.
