At the time of writing this the lockdown shows no sign of being eased, Borris has just come out of hospital, and the weather for this week looks rubbish. I’ve lost all sense of time, but I think this will be week 6 of clapping on a Thursday for NHS and Key Workers???
Joe Wicks is a distant memory, but now the boys enjoy an hour of the fantastic BBC Bitesized every ‘school day’ from 9 till 10am followed by some online study with Oak National Academy. We try to keep to early nights on weekdays, but last week was a bit messed up due to my ten year old having a new app ‘Heavens Above’, which tells you what wonders might be spotted in the night sky - in real time. I’m sure we were not the only people wrapped in blankets, staring up into space trying to spot Elon Musk’s SpaceX train of 60 starlink satellites last week. Sadly, despite two or three very late nights with neck ache, we only saw about ten to fifteen of them ( spread out, and not very clearly) plus a couple of possible Falcon rockets. Other people in Shepton seemed to get a great view, and we were most jealous of the photos adorning facebook ‘friend’s pages the following day. The late nights, hot days and long walks, made for less than enthusiastic ‘student’s and sometimes homeschool ended up being less structured. One day we just made ‘squishy soap’ with cornflour, washing up liquid and food colouring. Another, I made a ‘Tuck shop’ so the boys could ‘learn maths’ and also pay for their snacks with pocket money - genius! We also invented a probably very unsafe water slide by pointing the hose at the trampoline. Though it thrilled the kids, I was unable to enjoy getting sunburnt whilst listening to my neighbours drilling and sanding DIY project. Instead, I was sure the boys would befall some terrible injury and kept shouting “Be careful- I‘m not taking you to hospital!!!” and the classic “If you break your legs, don’t come running to me !!” The children, on the whole, are coping quite well- but they are missing their friends. I’m especially worried about my year 6 boy, who will be going up from St.Paul’s Junior School to Whitstone Secondary in September..probably. Not only will he miss out on all the school leavers celebrations, but also those vital transition activities. As an SEN pupil, he would usually get extra help- but it’s vital for all pupils. I know that both head teachers, Mr. Chris Partridge and Mr.Guy Swallow are acutely aware of the problem- and I’ve been told that they’re meeting ( online) to discuss solutions. Remember , they’re still putting themselves and staff at risk every day to educate and protect the children of key workers and the most vulnerable in our community. I’m filled with gratitude for all our teachers, school & nursery staff. Let’s show them some love too ! Follow my socials @mrsbrysonbanks for my lockdown life.
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My last few weeks have been spent doing ‘boring’ things like answering emails, doing taxes, filling in housing benefit forms, researching business loans , washing dirty clothes, cooking meals and occasionally tidying up. I’ve also been lucky enough to have some more ‘creative’ and fulfilling things to do like promoting local business or community groups and producing content for Radio Shepton.My favourite was running a really lovely ‘Virtual’ Easter Bonnet competition for local children. Helen Reader, from The Fairy Godmother shop , sponsored a fabulous fluffy bunny and sweets for the first prize winner, three year old Amelia from Doulting, and a Chic keyring full of candy for all the runners up! Though families have been isolating, many had great fun using bits and bobs from around their houses to make wonderful bonnets and easter themed crafts for our competition. They sent in pictures to facebook.com/radioshepton where you can still see these and loads more. I also edited together a really heart warming and uplifting Easter ‘Act of worship’ video in conjunction with Christian’s Together in Shepton Mallet, for Easter Sunday. It included prayers, stories and bible readings from Rev. Jonathan Hunter Dunn of St.Peter & Paul Church, Rev Graham Dart of the Baptist Church, Capt, Anne Chinye of The Salvation Army and a beautiful rendition of ‘Morning Has Broken’ by the choir at St. Michael’s. This too, is still available to watch and share on Radio Shepton’s Facebook page. I’m not religious as such, but am deeply spiritual, and in the moments between doing these boring, and fun activities, and wiping noses, or putting plasters on cuts - I have found quiet moments to contemplate and reflect.
I haven’t found it hard to find some silver linings in this unprecedented ‘crisis’. We will never return to ‘normal’, and we shouldn’t. Our normal was not good. Especially not good for women, who for all of recent history have been underpaid, under-valued and ignored. The last big event I attended before lockdown was International Women’s day march in Bristol. Amazing that in 2020 we are still having to strike and protest, in order to be listened to and respected. Maybe now, society will see the women working from home ( with the kids running about in the background and asking for a banana whilst their mum , explains economic impacts from Covid-19, on live daytime television; or dads out of work will see how ‘housewife’s don't just stick on the dishwasher, put their feet up and watch telly! ) Perhaps, the role of Matriarchs and mothers, carers, and teachers will now be revered and respected like they originally were. Society might now truly value low paid but vital key workers like carers, nurses, teachers and teaching assistants, cashiers, administrators, refuse collectors, delivery drivers, warehouse workers, farm workers -who are keeping this country going. We all knew deep down it was wrong to pay footballers millions of pounds , whilst frontline NHS workers struggled to make ends meet. Lets not forget in a hurry. Day 1 - Knowing the kids will be off school from Monday, I sit down with a cup of Nescafe Azera ( my favourite) and a freshly baked croissant, to write my homeschool/ isolation plan.
Here’s the plan for weekdays : 7am- Up early for yoga & morning meditations, feed the cats, and eat healthy breakfast. 8am - prepare kids similar healthy breakfast and give them their visual homeschool diary 9am PE with Joe Wicks - full school day consisting of English, Maths and Science Afternoon : Me - feed dogs, then clean bathroom !! Finish at 3pm. Give kids their Ipads if they've been good till 4pm. Dinner at 5.30pm - Family movie and bed by 8pm ( remind them to wash hands regularly!) Family Lockdown Day 10 … 7am - why the hell do i need to wake up this early??? 8am I suppose I better get up. Aldi brand cheap coffee and a toasted end of loaf crust with three year old lemon curd. Damn, there is no cat food and I’m not really allowed out, is it an essential? It is for the cats! Stressed. No time to meditate. 9am - No one is doing Joe Wicks PE anymore. Dad banged his head on the ceiling, whilst trying to do a more elaborate version of a star jump. He kept telling everyone he was doing ‘John Wick’ workout, in an attempt to make it sound more manly. In reality, he pulled a muscle doing ‘Pikachu’ and took Wednesday off because he was aching. The kids initial enthusiasm dwindled day by day , till they were just sitting on the sofa playing ‘spot the difference’ with Joe’s ‘living room’ set but not actually doing the exercises. Mid morning - just sent them outside into the garden! We’re lucky to have one and it was sunny!12 noon - Wine. I’m lucky to have some, and it was sunny!! Afternoon - it’s turned colder, so ipads in separate rooms to stop arguments. “Do something educational like TT Rockstars!” I shout. They hide under covers, playing Fortnite and eating crisps. 5pm It’s not all bad. On my escape to Tesco, to buy cat food and posh coffee ( i didn't get any!) I decided to film a LIVE video for my page www.facebook.com/radioshepton about the new social distancing measures. I’ve had a notification that 100,000 people have viewed it already...I’ve gone ‘viral’ ..in a good way! Day 12 - No way! My Tesco video has reached almost 500,000 people worldwide. BBC Somerset interviewed me on the Simon Parkin show. Now, that deserves another wine! Other shows I put on Radio Shepton are doing really well too. Helen Reader, The FairyGodmother , is reading children’s stories. We’ll soon be launching a virtual Easter Bonnet competition, and streaming a ‘Christian’s Together’ Easter service. Updates from local services can be found there, and the Coronavirus Volunteer group, which I’m part of. In other news; my hair is beginning to form dreadlocks, I've got dry skin on my hands, I still haven't cleaned the bathroom, and I’m out of wine ! *** As we are both self employed / freelance - out incomes have completely sropoed, and we arent likely to get any financial aid until JUNE !! So for the next few week I hope you dont mind if I add a little link for anyone who fancies it - to buy me a 'coffee' - it would be really gratefully recieved. Thanks you in advance *** HERE - Buy me a coffee ! ko-fi.com/heatherbrysonbanks |
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