A mum living in Italy has issued mums a list of dos and don'ts she wishes she'd done before the country went into coronavirus lockdown.
Author and mother Katherine Wilson has urged parents to take social distancing rules seriously as she believes it would have been the "only thing" that could have prevented the situation from escalating as it has in Italy.
The country is on total lockdown meaning 60million people are confined to their homes.
But the mum-of-two, who is American but lives in Rome, says before the Italian Government enforced lockdown and just advised social distancing, people, including her, were not listening.
She said: "Our teens were stir crazy at home. Their friends were going out, and the government hadn’t told us No! So, reasoning that this was a disease that didn’t strike teenagers, we told them to wash their hands and unleashed them onto the sidewalks and piazzas ; into other peoples’ cars and homes."
Writing on grownandflown.com, Katherine says other countries should not make the same "misguided choices" Italy did and follow coronavirus advice.
She said: "Ten days in, I feel that it is my duty to compile a list of Do’s and Don’ts. One that I wish I’d had only a couple of weeks ago.
DO: Keep them at home
"The only thing that could have saved (or mitigated) this tragedy in Italy is social distancing–a couple of weeks ago. I’m not talking about a high five instead of a handshake, or grandkids not hugging their grandparents. I’m talking about not being in the proximity of another human being who is not your immediate family."
DON’T: Pay attention to what other parents are doing.
When your teen complains that other parents are letting their kids go out and party, your reply will be something along the lines of “Where are my Beats?” Tune him/her out. If in a few weeks reality reflects that you were too conservative, then Hallelujah.
DO: Relax the usual screentime rules
"Global technology gave this virus the possibility to travel at the speed of light, and it also gave us Netflix. Nobody is expecting you to entertain/stimulate/engage when there is a global pandemic.
"Biology class will become Instagram which will become TikTok which will become Houseparty. Accept it."
DON'T Panic buy
"There is no reason to hoard. In Italy, we are allowed to go to the supermarket every day if we need to, and the shelves are full. Instead of stocking up on toilet paper, buy food that you’ve always wanted to cook but never had the time. In lockdown, you’ll have time to let things simmer, soak and rise."
DON’T: Read Covid-19 updates obsessively
"This thing can become a sick reality show – addictive and horrifying. It can encourage you to spin out apocalyptic scenarios. We know that all we can do is wash our hands, take care of our health, and stay at home.
"Our grandparents were asked to go far away and die for their country. Stay at home? That is doable. It has to be, because there is no choice."
