Mothers On Lockdown

Sameen Rashid, London

UK has now followed many other countries in closures of public spaces including schools for the foreseeable future, as the world tries to grapple with COVID-19, or Coronavirus. For some mothers this comes as a relief; now at least their children can be kept safe at home out of harms way. But soon the dread and fear sets in. What are we going to do with them at home for this many weeks?

Some mums have already taken to social media to show their organised plans for home schooling. And no doubt I speak for many Muslim mothers who are thinking that we can use this time to teach our children about Islam, teach them prayers and focus on reading the Holy Qur’an especially if they are yet to have their Ameen, or first read through of the Holy Qur’an.

For others the idea of having the children at home, not able to go out or socialise, is daunting. Children get bored quickly, and irritable. Add to this the anxiety that they are feeling during this time, and it can, and probably at times will, become too much to bear. Mothers of little children in particular, may find it all too difficult being at home in quarantine.

Or perhaps not. Having little children could actually be a blessing. Babies and toddlers stick to their routine come rain or shine. They still get up early, which means that mums have to too. They still need their naps during the day, feeding time, story time, bath time, and many other ‘times’ in between. Children at this age develop so quickly and start doing something new regularly. Their growth and progress can help chart time for mums that can so easily otherwise lose track of what day it is at a time like this. Children often smile, laugh and play with older siblings, thus entertaining them for a while too. They demand attention, and are quite resourceful in keeping themselves busy with the things that surround them. In short, babies are never bored, or boring. And they often take up the whole day anyway. So for mothers stuck in doors for what looks like weeks on end, having tiny feet pitter-patter around the place may actually make things easier.

As for older children; they are not officially on holiday. This time can be spent in learning at home, learning new skills, taking up a new hobby, or connecting with people and cousins far away that we never seem to have the time to otherwise do. With springtime, comes spring cleaning, and no better time to tackle those jobs that we never get round to doing. Children can help with these tasks too. Learning after all, is not just about core curriculum subjects. But now we have the chance to teach children some essential life skills such as cooking, gardening, and so on.

I have visions of emerging after weeks having accomplished so much with my children. The only thing is, if I set myself all these goals, what happens if I don’t succeed? What if we succumb to endless TV box sets and video games to while away the days? I can’t use the excuse “haven’t found the time yet…so many after school clubs…so much homework…”. What will I tell my own mother when she asks what I have done in all this time?

That is when I will probably want to go into lockdown.