To say my mental health has taken a dip during lockdown is an understatement. Having to home school three children under 10 hasn’t helped either. Like parents across the land, I’m filled with wonder for teachers who deftly deal with 30 kids in one classroom. There must be magic and witchcraft involved – teachers are not only educators, but IT technicians, mathematicians, scientists and literature scholars all rolled into one.
During these times my children have really shown me that they are far more resilient and resourceful than I am. They’ve taken to writing letters and making small gifts for their school friends, and then hand-delivering these items by leaving them on their friends’ doorsteps on their walks.
We’ve seen everything from personalised bracelets (my four-year-old son made one for his “girlfriend”) to letters filled with stories about magical potions created in the garden (my eight-year-old daughter is a huge Harry Potter fan).
But we were all put on the spot with the sudden news that socially distanced picnics would be allowed. My 10-year-old daughter Dee was invited to a birthday picnic at short notice and we found ourselves needing to make a gift for a school friend in less than 24 hours. Yikes!
Encouraged by my wife, who loves a bit of arty crafty stuff to break up her working day, Dee headed into the garden to pick buttercups, daisies and hot lips flowers. These she pressed between sheets of paper weighted down with all the books I haven’t had time to read.
The next day, my daughter fashioned the pressed flowers into the shape of an L for her friend Lili, and mounted them on card. She wrapped the gift in brown paper, tied up with string (my wife’s favourite thing to do – she assumes everyone will recognise the lyrical inspiration). Amid a sea of makeup goodies that only 10-year-old girls could squeal so much about, the gift was appreciated as thoughtful, beautiful and unique.
Inspired by her success, I asked Dee if she would like to make some more to sell (I was thinking Etsy shop). “I’d like to raise money for the NHS,” was her reply. So now Dee and her team (Mummy plus sister and brother) are making pressed-flower cards and selling them to her year group at £2 a pop. So far, she’s had 10 orders via the year 5 WhatsApp group and – to help with the awkward bit of actually asking for the cash – I’ve set up a PayPal Money Pool so parents can contribute their £2.
The process has been delightful to watch – the team all heading off in search of flowers, which gets the kids away from screens and out into the fresh air. The children have learned about plants, and they’re starting to understand the importance of teamwork as they trim their cuttings together, ready to be pressed. They’ve learned patience by having to wait more than 48 hours for the flowers to be properly pressed and dried. The project has even helped improve my four-year-old’s concept of money as he tots up the £2s they’re collecting via PayPal Money Pool.
That’s the thing about this lockdown. It’s helped us all appreciate a slower pace of life, where we get the chance to value each other’s company. And it’s given us a chance to find ways to pass the time while also developing some life skills.
That said, I’m looking forward to the day I hand schooling back to the superheroes – then, perhaps, I’ll have time to get stuck into all those unread books. Or maybe I’ll set up an Etsy business on the side …
Pooling resources
If you’re collecting money for a common cause or a group gift, do away with the hassle by using PayPal Money Pools. Group collections made easy.
