Covid-19 House Arrest Strategies

Disney+ launches in 8 days.


Seriously, an outdoor activity in a large, non-crowded place is fine as long as you maintain social distancing. Beach, woods, park (not playgrounds) are low risk

Loveinapril wrote: »

My two year old spoke with my mam today on the phone. He would usually see her a few times a week. He kept saying "nana house? Go nana's house?". It is so terrible for the little ones. My husband doesn't want us going further than the back garden but I would be okay with the local beach or park for a walk.

This is it. My girls are feeling the effects of missing Granny & Grandad etc especially my 6 yr old who is all too aware of the news and is so afraid of making her grandparents sick. So she’s desperate to stay away from them but we FaceTime them loads and she’s always asking them if they’re ok. I feel for her.

I’ve brought mine out for a walk daily, on their bikes etc I got them rain gear in Lidl recently and it was my purchase of the year. They’ve been out the back loads. We refilled their sandpit, let them have the hose to water the flower beds, bought outdoor chalk and they are colouring everywhere. Also saw so many recommendations to buy seeds and compost and pots etc and that has been amazing. They’ve planted and are now really enjoying nurturing their little projects.

I also bought my 6 and 3 yr old scrapbooks which was one of my better ideas. I’ve let them glue in newspaper clipping etc but in between that they’re sticking in any paintings, pictures of what they’ve done that day and we’ve dated them. Hopefully it’ll be a nice little project for them to look back on but if nothing else they’re really enjoying doing it. Pity the baba is too young!

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

I have sympathy for anyone who is in a vulnerable position especially young kids with health issues.

However this virus appears to be here for the long term. They reckon 4 out of 5 people will get it before year end. So this lockdown is all about helping the health system to cope and keeping vulnerable people away from the virus as long as possible until the numbers are mangeable.

How long do you lock things down for? Are vulnerable people just going to get it at some stage anyway?

I think a lot of people thought the symptoms would be similar to the flu but they appear to be mild in comparison for the average person. Are we not better off to have everyone get it quickly and after a month everyone has built up immunity, with less chance of spreading it.

The UK have been laughed at but they may have a case.

From what I gather it is about flattening the curve. So we’re going to have a lot of sick people, numbers will increase and we are heading towards a peak but by putting these measures In place, we should (Hopefully) ensure we peak at a slower pace and our healthcare will be better able to cope by comparison to what has happened in Italy. A sharp and rapid peak has resulted in a collapsed healthcare system.

Rightly or wrongly I am much more comfortable being in the ROI as opposed to a UK citizen right now.

It hasn't been proven that we will even be immune once we become infected and hopefully recover, so I think relying on herd immunity is a risky strategy.
If 15,000 are expected to become infected by the end of the month that's 2,100 who will need hospital treatment and 900 more who will have severe symptoms.
It may be 'only' the old and vulnerable to some but as someone said, one persons 'only' is someone else's everything.

Need some advice on this one because I feel caught in a rock and a hard place.

I am lucky enough to be able to work from home so the job situation is safe but my wife is a nurse and I've a Junior cert teenager to help prep for his exams, two in primary school to keep on school work as well as a 2yr old toddler. Any day my wife is in work is going to be ridiculously difficult if Monday is anything to go by.

The house is tiny, and even if there was an office, the toddler comes looking for me and I wouldn't want to hide away so to speak. I'm reluctant to make the others grow up a bit and help with childcare but i can't think of any other way to get the work done as well. I originally said I'd try and shift my working hours later in the day but the reality is that my wife works until 8.30 usually and I'm effectively on childcare duty until then and even if I go straight to "working mode" after that, I'm only going to get half a working day in if I'm lucky?

Feeling a bit overwhelmed right now and not sure what the plan is but already miss my childcare/office!

The schools really need to reopen or things are going to be very difficult. People need to get back to work and let the state take proper care of vulnerable people. It is pointless having kids at home if they are going to be kept isolated from older family members.

I have sympathy for anyone trying to get work done with kids at home. You need to ensure that the kids are safe first and foremost. Too easy for a kid to hurt themselves at home. Kids need constant supervision.

jlm29 wrote: »

It’s not pointless keeping kids at home to isolate them from older family members, it’s exactly what we need to do? This is our new reality. Schools won’t be reopening for some time, and everyone needs to figure out how best to deal with it to suit their own needs. It’s inconvenient, it’s unfortunate, for some it’s down right disastrous, but it certainly isn’t pointless

If you reopen schools it will be a breeding ground.

There needed to be total lock down tonight

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

The UK haven't closed their schools but will ask elderly people to self isolate. That makes much more sense given the mild symptoms or no symptoms amongst younger people. The economic cost of closing schools, pubs, hotels and restaurants will be massive. We even got the Taoiseach warning of it tonight.

Elderly people are in a good position to self isolate as well given their stage of life and smaller social circle.

We have kids off school but still have elderly people going food shopping, collecting medicine and pensions all in crowded areas. It doesn't add up.

The world is laughing at the UK and their management of this situation. I wouldn’t like our government to be taking the lead from them.

shesty wrote: »

How are people doing?
We had a sobbing 3 year old last night, wanting her preschool friends.
First thing this morning, 5 year old wanted to know could she go back to school today.
Toddler shouting for grandparents as we drive past their estate.
I am a bit upset about it, if I am honest .It is so unfair, basically treating them like pariahs.They haven't a clue why and I struggle to see how it can be done over any longer period of time.
I get the science and logic of it all, and I can see it is effective and we are doing our utmost to keep apart from everyone, but I think there is only so long we can ask it of kids and their families.

Have you talked with them any explained what is happening? They understand a lot. I've a 6 year old and 3 year old and they had lots of questions, funny ones too from my 3 year old like when the vaccine comes and kills the virus, will it go into the sky to great-grandma

They understand the situation, they shout to their friends in the other gardens but don't run over. They send messages over whatsapp, I've created a few projects for them to keep them busy.

I’m struggling with the age gap. I’ve a baby, a toddler, a pre-schooler and an 8 y.o. I can park the baby in her high chair or bouncer and do something with the older two like painting or baking, but my toddler just wrecks everything (my head included). He’s so destructive, that I spend a lot of my day cleaning up after him.
They’re having way too much screen time, which I need to clamp down on.
I’ve realised after only a couple of days that I need to put a bit more structure to the day, make sure we all get out doors a bit more, and that I need to make tine every day to do the workout that my gym is posting online every morning, to try and counteract the extra food I’m consuming

Kids don't know yet but we are getting a kitten tomorrow. Had planned on getting one in the summer but we brought it forward as we are going to be home for the foreseeable future so that's ideal for settling in a new pet. It will also be a great distraction for the kids too.

Same re:the eating. Even opened a leftover tin of roses from Christmas the other day. Totally should not be doing that. Every morning I look at the workouts the gym post online, think “oh I could do that later”. But I don’t. Good job my eldest boys communion will probably be cancelled. I’d have to wear my pyjamas

shesty wrote: »

So much eating.
And in the absence of getting to a shop, I bake...and then eat it.
Desperate.

I too love the baking. I am, unfortunately my own best customer

shesty wrote: »

So much eating.
And in the absence of getting to a shop, I bake...and then eat it.
Desperate.

I *may* be having the odd glass of wine too.... just the odd one

The better weather makes such a difference.
I find getting out once a day helps a lot even if wet. Always handy to take them on a bit of a car journey as they will nap but not too much plus you can bring a bit of a picnic along.

Places with pools of water might have frog spawn in them now too after the very wet spring. A bit of fun for everyone plus you could go back week after week to see them growing.

Loveinapril wrote: »

Myself and my husband drank three nights in a row after the news last week and had to consciously stop. We were all "we're doomed, lets get drunk!". Parenting a 2 year old and 8 month old is no craic hungover!

I hear ya! It’s all fun and games until someone is looking for Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaam at 5:45am!!

mirrorwall14 wrote: »

Finding the 17 month old really hard going. My husband works from home so nothing has changed. He’s freeing me up for one hour a day to get a head start on prep but otherwise I’m spending my time trying to teach/prep/correct and help my second level students while simultaneously juggling my five year old and his school work with the wonderful addition of a climbing, destructive, tantrum prone 17th month old. This doesn’t work very well as you can imagine so they go down at 7 and I need to go upstairs for 2-3 hrs of correction most nights. I’m absolutely exhausted. Thank god he still naps for 1-2hrs in the middle of the day. At least I manage to clean up the place and prep some lunch before it starts all over again

Must be the age but I'm finding my 17 month old to be a nightmare too. I have a 3 year old as well who's good as gold most of the time and can amuse herself most of the time(with a little help from the tv) but her sister tries to get involved in everything she does which generally leads to tears from one or both of them. Luckily enough the 17 month old still naps during the day so I can keep the house in some sort of order.

I'm a fulltime student but have given up any hope of getting any college work done until my wife gets home in the evenings by which stage I barely have the energy or motivation to do much so fair play to you dedicating time to your students in the evenings.

scarepanda wrote: »

Window paint is the job! It makes a mess of the window obviously, but that's easily wiped down. I find there's less demanding for new paper and paint and it seems to keep her occupied for longer. Wins all around!

Oh interesting. I need to order a few bits, must look for window paint. I realised last week that every marker in the house seems to be topless and dried up

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Very true. Not good for the ocd.
The other half bought waterproofs in lidl or aldi a few years back and they are the business for wet days. A great time can be had letting them splash in puddles. Even a half hour out of the house helps everyones sanity.

One of my kids refuses to wear waterproofs or wellies. “I’ll use my own legs” he told me the other day.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07G2PKTYF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This was the best piece of timing ever- it arrived at the end of February. I put it up at the start of March and it keeps her entertained for a good 30 minutes or more at a time. She'd stay on it for longer if we let her.