Preparation. Single parent.

[Subordinatethatclause]

Hi. Single parent here, living in v small 2 bed flat. Covid in both dcs schools and I feel like it's just a matter of time. Dcs share a room. One loo.

Has anybody managed to isolate in similar conditions? Looking for tips really. I'm very anxious and feeling prepared helps me face the world!

Thanks

If anyone comes down with symptoms they perhaps go in DC room and other child in your room you in living room?

Ventilation, keep bathroom window open, leave at least 15 minutes between visits, wipe light switch, handles down.

Anyone infected their own plate cup spoon etc or perhaps disposable items for a week or so.

Try and not stress too much likelihood if any, all of you catch Covid-19 it will be a mild version.

If you or your children do get tested positive, hopefully the symptoms will be mild and can carry on just self isolating. Get some fun things in to do, like baking, crafts etc., with regards to flat, open windows, wipe bathroom regularly and keep up hand washing. Maybe if not already doing, get yourselves some multivitamins and stock up on food and treats.

Some people would seem to suggest you need to buy 1000 toilet rolls, and a few tonne each of pasta and flour

Don’t be ridiculous rushjob.

OP how old are your kids? If you became ill are they old enough to manage for themselves? If not, is there anyone nearby that could act as a support network for you? Eg, delivering food?

In a thread which is telling someone to use disposable plates, me, the person who’s pointing out the stupidity of panic buyers is the person who’s being called ridiculous?

Rushjob, the OP is a single parent and worried about how she will cope in that circumstance should she or or one of her kids become ill. She has said she is feeling anxious and that feeling prepared makes her feel better. Why are you trying to derail this thread and make it all about you? Don’t you have anything better to do?

But people are fuelling that anxiety by introducing fear. Why not suggest that all shopping should be washed or quarantined as well?

A best way to reduce anxiety is to reduce the fear.

I don't think it'll be possible to keep the dc's in their rooms if they get ill. I'm just trying to keep windows open and will let them have constant screen time.

Research has shown that there's less than a 50% chance of other household members catching Covid from an infected person, even without the kind of measures you're contemplating.

Unless one of you is medically vulnerable there's not a massive need to take those kind of precautions. Simple things like opening windows and not sleeping together are good - depending on children's ages and everyone's mental health though.

1. Make sure you already have decent stock in of soups, beans, UHT milk, packet pasta, cereal, just add water pancake mix
2. Make sure you have an online account for a supermarket delivery and so can order a fortnight's worth in one go
3. Make sure you have a couple of takeaway delivery numbers to tide you over if the delivery slot is a couple of days away

The issue is financial too as some of us do not have the luxury of enough cash to bulk buy.
As far as entertainment goes, screens and headphones all the way.
I wish you luck, faith, and .

Huge thanks to all those trying to support me. Dcs are just into double figures so will be able to do soup/ pasta etc if necessary. xx

My dear old mum always used to say, if you can't be part of the solution, don't exacerbate the problem! Good advice for one poster.

Op in Germany as a natinal thing they always encouraged people to have at least two weeks strong store cupboard.
Make sure you do have enough essentials.
Also have you got cold and flu remedies? Wilko do cheap own versions, anything for a cough?

I've got some manuka honey on standby for the winter and a cheaper honey, lower grade manuka with vitamin c too.

Paracetamol, ibrooruren, tissues...

Activities... Hand wipes, bin bags!

Soups... Light soups and those hydrating sachets..

Hot water bottles?

Vitamin c and zinc fizzes and vitamins d tablets.
Sambucol or health aid drink things for the dc. Vitamin tablets.

I would write out some basic instructions on how to operate the dishwasher, microwave, lock the front door, things to do before going to bed (turn lights off etc) how to order a take away, answer the door to a grocery delivery, important phone numbers and put them in a folder as a sort of house manual. Then if you are ill, you can tell the dc to look at the folder for extra help.

Having a bit of stuff in that would be easy for kids to prepare is a good idea - supernoodles, beans on toast, breaded chicken, oven chips, and pasta/soup as you say, but only stuff that they like or they won’t eat it. Some bread in freezer or part baked bread with a long shelf life and a jar of jam will do for lunch. Hydration sachets and other meds are a great idea. If the kids are ill it’s ok because I can take care of them but if I’m ill the wheels come off the cart a bit because there’s no one to take care of me or the kids.

I have a list of ‘useful numbers’ on the fridge in case of emergency and instructions of what to do. This isn’t Covid related, it’s just a general ‘if something happens to the only adult in the house what should the kids do?’ back up. It does include however a couple of numbers of people who offered general help in my village during the last lockdown.

I'd advise getting in some treats and hiding them. Chocolate, biscuits etc.

@SequinsandStiIettos

1. Make sure you already have decent stock in of soups, beans, UHT milk, packet pasta, cereal, just add water pancake mix

1. Make sure you have an online account for a supermarket delivery and so can order a fortnight's worth in one go
2. Make sure you have a couple of takeaway delivery numbers to tide you over if the delivery slot is a couple of days away

The issue is financial too as some of us do not have the luxury of enough cash to bulk buy.
As far as entertainment goes, screens and headphones all the way.
I wish you luck, faith, and .

This is what I was going to suggest (as a single parent myself, who found herself in the first lockdown recovering from surgery, with no online delivery slots for new customers available anywhere - at one point DS asked what the contingency plan was if I took ill and ended up in hospital... my contingency plan came down to: phone number for social services on the kitchen notice board, which is not a situation anyone wants to be in).

I'm making sure I have enough weetabix, baked beans and pot noodles to keep tween DS going if I'm bed bound.

This is not panicking - this is simple planning ahead.