Adventures await...

Did you know that the idea for Parent Play School was actually born alongside our youngest baby, Jude, during the lockdown at the beginning of 2021? Watching other parents struggling with entertaining and educating their little ones at home (whilst also doing it myself) got me thinking "I can help with this!" Using my experience as a teacher, nanny and childminder, I began creating a guide for parents, based on the wonders of learning through play. It was a wild time for parents, but we learned so many lessons as we made it through together. Here is a poem I wrote, during Jude's first weeks. I hope it resonates with other mummies and daddies of babies born during one of the strangest times in modern history.

My little lockdown baby, born in 2021,

I’m sorry your start hasn’t been the most fun.

You see, there was a virus which swept across the world,

And we watched on in shock at events that unfurled.

We had to stay inside our home as everything shut down,

Shops were closed, roads left empty all across town.

It’s been a strange time with rules we’ve had to follow,

To keep ourselves safe for a better tomorrow.

It’s called ‘the new normal’ but it’s all that you’ve known,

The world has been odd in the time that you’ve grown.

We painted rainbows for windows and clapped from our door,

Outside was a world that we couldn’t explore.

We haven’t had outings or trips to the zoo,

It’s been just us; Mum, Dad, your brother and you.

No visits from family, no cuddles from friends,

You know them through “Zoom” and the parcels they send.

No strangers out shopping have touched your sweet face,

Of course, we must remember “Hands, face, space”.

Instead we’ve had masks and stepping aside,

Hand sanitiser after the swing or the slide.

How big is two metres? Don’t get too close!

While we patiently wait for our vaccine dose.

I’m sorry it’s like this, I hoped for much more,

Than spending your first days behind a closed door.

For shaking maracas in draughty church halls,

For hours at soft play spent jumping in balls.

For bad cups of coffee and mums’ silly chatter,

While we waited for your feet to go ‘pitter patter’.

You’ve got me, I’ve got you, we’re doing our best,

But I hope one day soon that you’ll have all the rest.

Like eating in cafes and trips to the farm,

Without any fear that we’ll come to some harm.

And meeting our family, I promise they’re great,

I’m sorry again that you’re having to wait.

But it won’t be much longer, there’s light at the end!

We’ll venture outside and you’ll make your first friend.

This wasn’t our journey, the one in my plan,

But things will be there to explore when we can.

Though you’ve not seen a lot and missed out on so much,

I’ll never forget the time it was just us.

Too small to remember, I hope you’ll know maybe,

That I did my best for you, my darling baby.

And when it’s all over, we at last reach that date,

Oh my little lockdown baby, adventures await!