Kids depressed as self isolating during impending divorce

[Westcott313]

My Dd has Covid. She's on the mend and only had light symptoms. We are all self isolating. There are ten days remaining.

My kids are really down. They want to go to school. They don't want to be locked indoors for ten days.

Their dad and I are separating, the kids know he's moving in with the OW. He doesn't live here now and they can't see him either. He's rubbish at facetime stuff.

What can I do to help them? 1How can I make life fun for them when I'm feeling like shite. I am so desperate to go for a walk. I isn't feel like baking and doing fun stuff. But I need to do something.

Pls share ideas. Thank you

I don't *

Also forgot to say older ones are teens and OK but younger two are 7 and 12.

Make a circuit ? Films? A version of come dine with me? Sorry my ideas not great I cant imagine how hard this is for you. Sending love xx

I would say first it's ok to acknowledge how shit it is for all of you. I think it helps that people are allowed to feel fed up and down.

How about you all sit down and see if you can find things to download, order in for next day etc like a home cinema night, a board game etc. Maybe doing this together will give them some feeling of control over a situation that is outside their control iykwim.

So shit for you all. Ask the teens to help you coordinate some enforced family fun - perhaps they could organise a movie night and a games night, learn some new card games (we enjoy hearts, or chase the lady, or cheat). Get the younger ones to set you all up on a multi player tame computer game you can do together. Ask people on the outside to help you out by rallying round and dropping off jigsaws/treats or facetime them. Tell their friends parents things are tough so friends rally round. Get them each to choose a day to bake or cook the meal. Have a family meeting to plan ideas for Christmas, start making Christmas lists. Take good care of yourself and each other, things will turn a corner.

I'd also see if you can contact friends parents and see if they can have a Zoom chat with them or even try one of those houseparty/quiz things. Definitely see if you can do some exercise - do you have a garden? Maybe challenge them to set up an obstacle course for you all to try.
Maybe set up some challenges like every evening everyone has to come up with some fact to tell the others and the weirdest wins. Or everyone has to make an art work (with only positive comments allowed).
And also get all of them to think up their own challenges and themes.

Can you find a fun workout online so the kids can laugh at you trying to keep up.

Disco hour, everyone gets 3 songs, dance like no one is watching.

Do something physical but achieves something like cleaning windows.

Ask your husband to get some activity books, magazines, DVDs or games, puzzles, sweets and chocolates. What about a little clear out of old things each day if you are feeling up to it.

Sorry you're feeling low, that sounds rubbish.
If they like Halloween, can they go overboard in decorating the house? Halloween bunting? Maybe with family members pictures on? We printed off family faces and made elf bunting for Christmas which was fun with a young dd. Maybe they could search online for haunted house pictures and plan and make a gingerbread Hallowe'en house if you're able to get a shopping delivery/have some baking things in the cupboard? Halloween playlist and then do a disco as pp suggested?