Lockdown and Social Distancing

[Tugsgirl]

Hi all 👋🏻 Has anyone else given any thought to how the Coronavirus pandemic lockdown may affect your little ones? I mean Mary-Elizabeth was going to a Music Club on a Monday morning and a Sing and Sign class on a Tuesday morning. On a Wednesday we were meeting up with my Mum and Auntie for breakfast and that same Auntie would normally have Mary-Elizabeth for a few hours on a Saturday or Sunday. We would have quite frequent visitors; my Mum, my Brother, our friends. People would always talk to us in the shops just so that they could make a beeline for Mary-Elizabeth and coo over her. Hubby and I know that in time to come she won’t remember any of this but she was quite the little social butterfly and always had a cheeky dimply grin for anyone. We just wonder if this will have any effect on her social skills.

[MissSaoPaulo]

I was thinking about this too. I suppose we'll never know for sure but will the fact she's spent almost a quarter of her life so far (2 months out of 9, and likely to be a good bit longer the way things are going here) without leaving the flat affect her in the future? Will she be less outgoing? Less adventurous? Will she be more clingy to her Mammy and Daddy? More reluctant to try new things and meet new people? Who knows?

Hope you're all well xxx

[Hidden]

Yes definitely. Florence absolutely loves nursery and I feel awful that she isn’t going as she talks about them all the time and wants to give her friend a cuddle 😢. I’m dreading the day she goes back as all these weeks just seeing mummy and daddy is hard and will be very attached to us. We also used to do two baby groups a week and meet up with friends but hopefully it won’t take long to get back into the rhythm of things.

We can’t change it so just have to try the best we can when it is over with. Doesn’t help when I feel awful about what/who she is missing xx

[Lovemylion]

I have wondered this also. My little boy used to be so sociable. It’s just been him my partner and me for couple months now. I’m meant to be returning to work from mat leave in a month and I’m not sure how he’s going to cope. It’s all so uncertain at the moment! Very very cute pic of your little one btw! Jen Xxx

[Winter_Girl]

I personally think it has an affect on older children more who understand about nursery and possibly the pandemic (older children).

My main concern is getting Isabella back to nursery as I think she will struggle initially, but the good thing about children is their resilience and their ability to adapt well (mostly).

As long as they feel safe and loved at home, and they are being stimulated (talked to/ sang to / played with) I don't think it will affect them long term. That's my personal opinion, I'm by no means an expert!

I read a lovely post from a mum who addressed the concerns of parents who were worried about the affect this is having on their children. She explained that they lived on a very remote island for the first 5 years of her daughter's life, but when they eventually moved to somewhere more civilised, her daughter was very happy and sociable and the isolation had no affect on her. I do think it is child dependent. My daughter is very sociable and even now when we go for walks she has a smile for everyone who passes.

Isabella goes to a baby signing class too and our group runs e-classes via facebook live. Same time and day as normal classes. Lots of groups are running e-classes so that could worth looking into. I know you don't see other children, but it might help having something structured to do once a week.

I'm sure you already do this, but lots if facetime calls to loved ones will help her to remember them xx

[Jenjen84]

I was thinking about this too. Ollie doesn’t know his grandparents, both of which will be our main childcare when I go back to work in October. We FaceTime everyday and have had a chat in the front garden from a distance and he just shuts away and looks to me for reassurance. I do think it will have some impact, hoping only short term though but who knows when this will be over? Doesn’t seem to be anytime soon

Another gorgeous pic of Mary Elizabeth ❤️ Xxx

[MissSaoPaulo]

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[Annh17]

Definitely, I worry about my 14 month old everyday. Of course it affects them in some way. We was out most days whether it was family’s, friends, clubs, shops, too now going on the same walks every day and seeing mummy and daddy in the 4 same walls for the last 7 weeks. We have had bad times with her, but mainly all good.

We FaceTime my parents everyday and my sister will pop round once a week with distance for 10minutes, as she’s worried LG will forget her.

But we have photos around the house and say the names and points them out, so it’s nice to know she remembers x