Month: April 2020

by Kaneez Fatima, GRoW participant

Due to the Pandemic situation, it is indeed a tough time not just for us but also for the nation itself. Government has declared the lock-down for all of our own safety. Hence, we all must adhere to the instructions given by the government “Stay Home & Stay Safe”.

First week of lock-down was difficult, as life seemed completely upside down. Nobody was going out of house for anything; everything seemed so still at one point. We never experienced that kind of feeling before. Kids were also was clueless that what is going on. However, we as parents have explained them the situation and the precautions we have to take in terms of protecting not just ourselves but also others.

Eventually, we are coping up good, being in the second week of lock-down. Kids are doing well and settled down, thanks to Sarah Rowlands Head-teacher of Altmore & Lathom Schools Federation and her management and teacher teams at both of the schools. They have been doing an excellent job in this tough time, from teaching pupils with their online classes to keep them stay healthy & active with the P.E. sessions, etc. All the teachers are available online and accessing kids work straight away and advising them just as in the classroom. As far as I am aware, that is the only school who has been that active for the pupil in lock down. Thanks to all the teachers and Sarah for their great efforts.

Moreover, let us take this lockdown as an opportunity to spend more time with our families. Usually we are so busy with our schedules and never get much time to spend together as a family. As a family we are doing great, we are studying together; we are having breakfast, lunch and dinner all together at home now. At leisure time, we are playing carom board and other board games, watching movies together and much more.

We as a family have come out stronger now working together. Rather than complaining about the lock-down, my opinion is to take it as an opportunity to spend more time with family. We should be thankful that we could still do that unlike the key workers who are at the front line and dealing with the situation throughout the nation.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all the key workers throughout the nation including NHS Staff, Police Department, Fire Department, Teachers, and many more.

AS has five children aged from 11 months to 11 years – here she lets us know what having to self-isolate has meant to her.

I had to self-isolate, and and my family was quarantined for two weeks before lockdown even started. I was the first one in the GRoW team, who had to self-isolate along with my family for 14 days. It was a very strange feeling which I never experienced in my life before, neither my family, that we can’t go outside.  But soon the whole country joined us in this journey.

It was very challenging in the first week, cleaning, cooking, working from home, home schooling and looking after family with children from 11 years to 11-months old. My baby who just started walking around and wants to explore the whole world from shoe rack to bin and from vacuum cleaner to dustpan. On the other hand, I had to let my other children on their own, which was not very nice feeling for me.

I struggled to set up a routine of working from home while looking after family. Working from home was not something new for me but working with all my children at home and concentrating on my work was a real challenge. When I was trying to concentrate on one side the other was falling behind. I was trying my best that my children are looked after and still learning what they got from school and making sure I still that my work is also done on time.

But then I decided to setup a timetable for my children, which helped me a lot. I arranged activities, which they all can do together then planning the day along doing my work while they are still learning through any source.

After being in this situation I started comparing my normal life with this new one (due to COVID-19), I just realised that as the nature has pressed the reset button for us. As we were running so fast, without taking any rest. Everyone was so busy accomplishing their daily tasks like, they can’t stop for a single day, or even an hour. Then everything stopped. We are still living although in fear, but the life is going on. I think the world and humanity needed a pause for a while, to reset our directions from where we were going to, and to realise that there are people around us who needs our care. We can still be happy with what we still have around us.

For many people this will be a time when they will be with all their family members around them and caring for each other. Even I, for the first time realised that how have lovely neighbours I have, who were not only clean my garden for me because I don’t have time with young children, but also when I needed help while self-isolating. they always asked if me and my children needs anything, every time they were going outside.

For the first time, I heard birds twittering on trees during daytime, which normally I can’t because of motorway on the back. I also got a chance to know about my neighbours on both sides, who are pensioners and can’t meet their children because they are self-isolating. Whenever I am taking time out from my screen, I go to my garden and start having a short chat with them through our fence, to find out that they are okay and giving them the hope that everything will be ok.

This time will be very hard and challenging time for those like me, if you are having your loved ones fighting to save lives of others and themselves. By putting their lives and of their families at risk.

I really appreciate the work we as Grow Team are doing, by supporting and caring for people who needs our help in this time which bought fear and uncertainty in every one’s lives. But we should still take it positive by committing to be more kind to those who could heal by few kind words and sincere advice in this uncertain time. The skills we learnt and still learning during this time will enhance us as women even more, now we are not only expert in doing what we were doing but also became experts of digital world, and performing multi tasks at the same time, which many of us were very challenging under normal circumstances.

This is the time which we might never have again and will remember for the rest of our lives. We all should take it as a chance to slow down and look for those people around you. Even though every day is filled with a list of endless work to do, from breakfast to starting work and preparing lunch, learning and teaching to cleaning, dinner, play and many more. I know that for sure and hoping that soon “there will be a sunrise after this dark night, which will be even brighter” and with a chance for everyone to Grow once again and will never be forgotten, and we will be even more thankful for what we were having.

by Chantelle El Sawy, GRoW Team Member

My 2nd week in quarantine with my family and a weird and unknown time to say we are living in. I have two boys who are close in age, 7 and 9. My oldest son has autism, so his needs are different to my other son’s needs. So far what I’ve learned from my own experience when it comes to home schooling is that homeschooling my kids together can become tricky. I say this because of the different levels they are at and their different needs. 

I was starting to feel overwhelmed with trying to keep on top of schooling the boys and trying to keep a routine that suited everyone and then also attending to my own work. 

I decided to homeschool them separately one hour each and then an hour of homeschooling together on something I can continuously give them my attention on. Once I know they have done some work I can then go on to concentrate on my own work.

My son likes a routine, nothing too strict but he likes for some consistency to be there. I stressed myself a little over these past 2 weeks  to make sure he had a strict routine. My plan was to home school from 10-2pm in reality that was too much for all of us.

 I sat back and said to myself not to stress as long as I can get one thing done with them a day that was great and if I didn’t I will try again the next day. And just take my days as they come.

Even though it feels like a long list of things to do: Breakfast, homeschool, play, lunch, work, dinner, bed I must say having something that I have to do or have deadlines for is a blessing in disguise. It’s a home routine, maybe not the one we know from before but it’s something and it’s keeping me going through these times that will definitely never be forgotten.