Why Kids Are the Best Isolation Buddies

I’m sure you’ve seen all the memes going around about isolation with kids and how it’s such a drag. While I’ve definitely had a good giggle at some of these, I have to question the underlying assumption that being isolated with kids is really the absolute worst. In fact, I’m finding that many of the things that normally make caring for kids overwhelming have actually become really helpful during isolation. That might sound totally counter-intuitive, but hear me out. Here’s why I think being isolated with kids is actually the best:

Kids are a lot of work

Having kids is basically just one long to-do list. They need food constantly, they mess up their clothes all the time, and they expect your undivided attention at all times. While this is obviously draining, it also provides you with hours of occupation and distraction from the chaos that reigns in the outside world.

Kids have no personal boundaries

Have your kids nailed social distancing and the 1.5m rule? Not touching their face (or yours)? Yeah, mine neither. And in this time of isolation where we are physically separated from friends and family, and not permitted to hug each other, a tiny person crawling all over your face is a serious gift. Rejoice in the fact that you have someone to hug.

They treat their needs as non-negotiable

I have four kids lined up at my kitchen bench 6+ times per day. They remind me sweetly (read: loudly) that they need food and drink at regular intervals (read: constantly) throughout the day. Which probably means I do too. Without their constant nagging, I doubt I would be able to find the motivation plan and prepare healthy meals, but I refuse to compromise on their health during this health-focused time, which means that I end up with a fridge full of healthy food by default. And being pounced on by my offspring every time they hear a crinkling TimTam packet has severely crippled my junk-food inhalation rate. This mama does not like to share!

They have really low standards

I like my meals planned, my house clean and my schedule strict. Right now that is completely unrealistic. Our days have loosened, our house is sitting at a standard of bare minimum hygiene, and I’m using things from the back of the pantry to avoid frequent trips to the shops. Fortunately for me, my kids don’t care. They never really have. The other night they joyfully bellowed to Daddy to “Come to the table really quick because mummy was serving an AMAZING dinner!!” Daddy did a great job keeping a straight face when he sat down to see toasted bread crusts and tinned spaghetti on the table. It ticked almost zero nutritional boxes but they ate it without complaint, which was such a relief to my perfectionist brain.

Kids have no fashion sense

I am currently oscillating between get dressed for the day the instant I wake up, and setting a new world record for continuous changes from pyjamas back into pyjamas. Fortunately, my junior colleagues don’t care. Their outfits of choice look more like a Comic-Con festival than a Work-from-home day, so I fit right in no matter what kind of fashion day I’m having.

Kids are totally oblivious

Kids are not constantly checking news updates and statistics, and things like financial instability and toilet paper supply issues are barely on their radar. So if you want to have a conversation about something other than Covid-19, talk to a kid. They will delight and confuse you with topics ranging from geckos to secret agent codes to why Donald Duck wears a hat but not pants.

They believe everything they say is fascinating

Unlike adults, who are often mired in self-doubt about whether what we have to say is interesting enough, children are wired to believe that everyone in the world feels as excited about the evolutions of Pokemon as they are. So when you run out of conversational offerings because you haven’t “done” anything other than watch TV for three weeks, never fear. A small child will soon be on hand to explain that Mega Blastoise would definitely beat Daddy in a battle because Daddy doesn’t have a Mega Launcher attached to his back. Like, obviously.

Kids know how to just be present

Kids have a natural ability to just be in the moment they’re in, and enjoy what’s right in front of them. Yes, that does mean they end up standing in front of the mirror pulling silly faces when they were meant to be brushing their teeth, but it also means they aren’t stuck aching for the past or fearfully calculating what the future will look like. Right now it’s just them, their unbrushed teeth and some really great nostril flaring.

They are experts in finding joy in the little things

As I write this, my twins are raiding my Tupperware drawer so they can trap a beetle they just found. They will spend ages watching its tiny legs wriggle as the poor tortured creature tries to flip back over, where I would have just flicked it outside ASAP. They are the ones drawing my attention to amazing butterflies, funny-shaped clouds, and beams of light on the kitchen bench.

Kids are always up for anything

Want to build a fort? Yes! Want to make some pizza dough? Yes! Want to learn how to hang a picture? Yes!
Kids just love to be included and connected, especially with their parents. So if you show enthusiasm for the chore you need to tackle, you will have a little buddy for all kinds of otherwise boring jobs from cleaning the shower to fixing the fence railing.

They force me to break my focus

Anyone with children can confirm that their constant interruptions can make your brain feel like three-day-old scrambled eggs. But that incredible ability for interrupting can also be a good thing. Like when I’m sucked into a vortex of depressing articles on my phone, and they force me to snap out of it and get them (another) snack, or when I’m quietly numbing my anxiety by binge-listening to podcasts and they roll their eyes at me mouthing “Take out your headphones mum, I need to talk to you!” They pull me out of the mud, and help ground me when I’m stuck in my own head.

Kids have the attention span of a flea

I can stare at my phone for hours without moving anything other than my scrolling thumb. But as much as my kids love screen-time, even the older ones get over watching TV after a couple of hours. They need variety and so we are forced to provide it. We have done crochet, art, yoga, baking, walking, dress-ups, play-dough and all manner of other things in just a few short weeks of isolation, simply because the kids get bored of doing the same activity over and over again. It’s encouraged me to introduce them to new hobbies by digging my old projects out of my craft graveyard.

They know how to make do

Kids are inherently creative. Actually, all humans are inherently creative, but young kids haven’t had it stamped out of them yet. It’s scientifically proven; 98% of children under 5 score at a genius level for divergent (“outside the box”) thinking, a statistic that shrinks to just 10% by early adulthood. You can read more about that here. Their little imaginations can turn a stick and a cardboard box into a horse, a train, a giraffe, a magic shop, and millions of other things. When you’re running out of ideas and your resources are running low, let your kids lead the way. They are experts at this, after all.

Their tears flow freely

If your toddler is upset with you, it’s unlikely you’ll be left guessing. I usually know exactly what I’ve done wrong because I get “I WANT A JELLYBEAN” repeated in my ears 4562 times. There is no stoicism in young kids; they wear their hearts on their grubby little sleeves. They lose their tempers, they cry, they laugh giggle and squeal with delight. Compared to the muted panic that most adults are currently trying to hide, the rainbow of emotions a toddler expresses in a day (or minute) can help give yourself permission to feel whatever it is you need to feel.

Kids know how to lighten the mood

Stuck on an incredibly long video conference about something that could totally have been an email? Hold tight. In a matter of moments, your pantless progeny will burst through the office door insisting that you help tie on their superhero mask. As it turns out, not all superheroes wear capes (or even pants).

Kids aren’t ashamed of needing their village

We are really lucky to have loads of family living close by who are normally very involved in our kids’ lives. In the shift to isolation, our kids are really missing their weekly visits from grandparents, aunties and uncles. The excuse of organising a video call “for the kids” has meant that I am also able to check in with my parents and siblings on a regular basis, in a way we probably wouldn’t bother to do so often without being nagged by tiny people. And once we’re on a call, the kids’ show and tell efforts provide lightness and humour that an adult-to-adult call might otherwise lack.

They give you an excuse to re-live your childhood

I’m pretty sure it took me less than 0.235 seconds to realise that this would be the perfect opportunity to fill allllll the gaps in my children’s education. No, not their school work, silly – their much more crucial Disney education! We are systematically working through all my favourite childhood films, books, board games and activities, and I am loving it. Let’s just call it cultural studies, okay?

I hate to say it buuut… I told you so.

Kids are noisy, needy, and undoubtedly annoying at times, but they are also the cutest thing out there, and there’s nobody I’d rather be stuck in isolation with than my infuriatingly adorable offspring. I hope this helps you find a fresh perspective on being stuck at home with your kids too.

Now, go catch yourself a kid and enjoy a big old hug.

Stay safe Xxx