Motherhood in Lockdown

Hi! I’m Dominique, mama of two girls, Isabella aged 15 and Azura aged 5. I have been a stay at home mom for the last 18 months and have thoroughly enjoyed it. My days consisted of school runs, grocery shops, birthday parties, homework, cooking and running my blog.  Whilst I never took my life and happiness for granted, I definitely didn’t appreciate the freedom I had in the simple things like being able to browse a shop without feeling panicked or meeting a friend for a quick coffee. 

Life changed for all of us in the middle of March when social distancing became the norm and shortly after we went into complete lockdown. 

A few things that helped our transition into our new life was firstly accepting this would be our new “normal” and it was unlikely to only last three weeks. I needed to mentally prepare myself that this could go on for months. I needed to find a sense of normality amongst the absolutely abnormal situation we had all found ourselves having to face. There were a few things that really helped me and I have highlighted them below. 

Routine: 

The day before lockdown begun I decided to put together a daily schedule. I know this doesn’t work for everyone but I knew we needed a “plan” to help navigate our days. Our mornings started off with breakfast, a bit of screen time, exercise and free play. 

I also did some structured activities with my 5 year old to keep her brain active and her little hands busy! Pinterest was a great tool for sourcing educational activities, recipes etc for both my girls. I am fortunate in that I have an older teenage daughter who was able to help entertain her little sister while I got chores done around the house. Before lockdown I had a domestic/ nanny who came in 5 days a week so housework wasn’t high on my “to do list” before but now it had become a daily part of our schedule!  

As a part of my daily routine I make sure to do at least one load of laundry a day (so that it doesn’t become overwhelming!) and do a general “pick up” of the house before bed so we didn’t wake up to a mess. My husband was on leave during the first 5 weeks and he helped immensely with both the household chores and entertaining kids!

I usually have a shared custody arrangement with my children but for the first two weeks of lockdown they were solely under my care. Initially I was quite anxious about this change as between school and having every second weekend off I was used to a bit of freedom! But it’s amazing how one adjusts and spending this additional time with my girls will always be something I treasure. 

Homeschooling: 

Before lockdown I have never ever considered homeschooling as an option when it came to educating our children. Both my girls have always thrived in a schooling environment and loved the social aspect of it. I also loved the opportunity to have mornings to myself. The thought of homeschooling was quite frightening if I must be honest! 

We amended our routine before the school term arrived and life again would need to change and we again would be finding another new normal. 

I set up a daily schedule which included homeschooling in the morning. Initially we got off to a rocky start when my youngest didn’t want to participate in the activities. I sought the help of my Instagram community and was flooded with amazing advice and support. Children learn so much through play and keeping them happy and healthy should be the number one priority in lockdown. Make learning fun and incorporate it into your daily life. Lastly, don’t put too much pressure on yourself - we are going through a pandemic after all!

Technology: 

It was inevitable that all of us would be spending a little more time on our screens. I'm not ashamed to admit I have used our tv as a babysitter on numerous occasions during this lockdown period. We found some amazing you tube channels with exercise programs for the kids. Cosmic kids yoga was one of them which kept the littlest entertained (& moving!) every morning. 

I cannot imagine going through a pandemic and not having the means to still connect with family and friends. 

I FaceTime my family a couple of times a week to stay connected and have also had coffee dates with friends over zoom. It really helps to feel less isolated and still connected during this time.

In closing I think one of the things that has helped me the most during this global pandemic is mindfulness. Focusing on the present without worrying too much about the future. Living each day with purpose and gratitude for the things that are not “cancelled”. I’m focusing on the positives of a slower paced life whilst at the same time appreciating that I’m not a perfect mother or wife and extend grace towards not only my children but to myself. 

Sending all the mamas out there in lockdown a huge virtual hug, we will get through this together while being apart. 

Dominique Puglia - Nieuwoudt

You can follow me on Instagram @dominiquebellazuri and my blog dominiquebellazuri.blog