How do you self isolate if you’re a single parent? It’s just not feasible.
So I’ve dropped off supplies to my mother who lives on her own. Family members have now been asked to stop all routine visits. Is Mother’s Day a routine visit? So what happens now if she gets it, with no one to look after her?
It’s bad enough that they’ve announced only tiny measures so far and not yet closed the schools – apparently photocopying machines were being used at extreme levels yesterday in schools as they all anticipated that they would be closing after the Cobra meeting. Boris has told us to prepare for “losing loved ones.” OMG. Apparently we will only be at peak infection levels in 10-14 weeks. That’s AGES away. I had hoped it was going to disappear by the Easter holidays and now they are trialling the “herd immunity” approach. WE ARE NOT CATTLE. That said, I respect that scientists are better placed to advise us and that life must go on for now. Despite the fact that many of us want to escape to a bunker.
Self isolation is all very well, but how do you do that if you live with your children? How do you keep away from them to avoid them catching it from you? Even more concerning is how do you do that if you’re the only parent in the household? If one of your children catches it, as parents we are not going to leave them alone and leave their food outside the door….
My children are all grown up but I have one living at home, who is still travelling and one who is expected back from uni quite soon. I have just realised that my pathetic stockpiling (a few extra bags of rice and pasta) will last for about a day with my very tall 19 year old son back in the house. He will devour all the pasta in minutes. I also realise that I haven’t taught my children how to be sparing with the loo roll. They are used to using half a roll every time they sit on the loo. Sadly it’s too late to send them to see my (war baby) mother who would have shown them how to make one loo roll last three years.
Are there guidelines for how to self isolate in a busy household? Apart from keep your room ventilated and keep washing your hands?
AAAAAGH. STRESS.
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