How do you explain to your children touching is suddenly not allowed? It cannot play with other children and the teacher at school has to keep distance? How do you explain to your well-raised child it is no longer allowed to help pick up something an elderly person dropped by accident?
I am grateful my children are older and keeping distance is a part of them.
They don't feel the need to hug and kiss everyone and my youngest was relieved no teacher kissed it or tried to shake hands on the last day at school thanks to the Coronavirus. It's a good excuse to avoid people, take a few steps back if someone wants to be close or comes too near. No longer people feel insulted. We, me and my children, like to have some space, some room to breathe and be on our own.
It was a friend (in Belgium) who mentioned she hoped for a lockdown. It would be of a great help to her and her children.
She would have time to rest and her children could stay home. It was the first time I heard about a lockdown. The only lockdown I knew was in prison.
The same day the country I stayed in went into a lockdown and Belgium followed after the weekend. For a period we followed the news in different countries but it tired us out. I asked my daughter if she had enough food because her pantry is always empty. She went to the shops long before the madness started. A madness we were no part of. We stayed at home, felt happy too. Homeschooling started and there was no longer a need to drive up and down. No need to wear a face mask either, the only social distance was asked. In the province where we stay not even twenty people were infected, no one died. Should I worry about an outbreak, a second wave because the newspaper mentioned it today again although two days ago they said "no way"?
I discussed the information about the Coronavirus with my children so they know what is going on which isn't much.
The news changes daily if it comes to the latest Coronavirus discoveries and expectations. Today they say this and tomorrow it's the opposite. After all these months we met no one who became ill, no one who died. Are we stronger, healthier than other people? A friend in the USA answered they are not unhealthier but the people are more stupid. They don't care. Does it makes sense? If people demonstrate with us no one gets sick two weeks later.
Are we healthier, smarter?
We don't eat healthily we can simply not afford it.
We shared my last vitamins and minerals and I bought vitamins, minerals, zinc and iodine online for my daughter abroad who for sure has a huge lack of it.
We hardly eat fruit, vegetables or meat and if it's mainly for the children.
No one infected us and to be honest, I have strong doubts it will ever happen. The only risk in our lives is school and the supermarket.
With me, my children lost their interest in the latest news, how many are infected and how many died. We saw long lists but not one of those who deceased had the Coronavirus only. It only left us with more questions and doubts. Questions I as a parent can not answer. We decided to go on with our lives and make the best out of it.
During those rare moments we drive to town we notice actually nothing has changed.
The lockdownn is over, the summer holidays started and people do not seem to care about social distancing. Strange enough from the moment on the lockdown ended face masks in shops are required. Why now? Because you can only get the virus inside (unless someone barks into your face)?/Wearing face masks is a joke. Most only cover a chin. No shopkeeper cares, no customer does. How do I explain this to my children?
Outside the shop, an elderly lady sits in her wheelchair in front of the door.
She has covered her mouth with a white scarf. She asks for a shopping cart but is ignored. "Give her ours", I tell my kid. He does and feels no fear neither does the elderly lady. She pulls herself with the help of the shopping cart out of her wheelchair and I hope she won't gall down. Slowly she disappears inside. The shopping hour for elderly people no longer exists. I wouldn't mind if they would have continued with it, neither I would if it comes to homeschooling and working online. I do care about the media spreading fear on purpose. What is written cannot even be called journalism. The only thing I know for sure is that we all gonna die and the only thing I fear is my children will no longer have the right to travel and will never see each other again. Not because of a virus, not because of a lockdown or closed borders but because of dictatorship. It's something we talk about too. What if... What will we do?
Although I lost my faith a long time ago they don't seem to worry. No sleepless nights, nothing to be afraid of. To them, it's good enough to know they have a parent who will fix it and makes it possible again.
