Coronavirus Effects On Parents In South Africa

It is heart breaking to see the havoc that is being wreaked across the globe due to the Coronavirus in the last few weeks and now that COVID-19 has hit South Africa things are getting rough. In the last few days I have seen some people have to close their businesses down, not just short term, but literally shut down as in gone bang.

I have seen parents losing their jobs and the pain of parents having to figure out how to keep their kids home and still somehow keep their jobs and their source of income.

To stay up to date with the numbers worldwide and broken down per country check this website – it is continuously updated to reflect up to date figures.

Today I did a Facebook live video to chat to the parents on my Facebook page – check out the video in the header which I uploaded to Youtube.

Keep Yourself Healthy And Safe

There are so many resources already online for keeping yourself healthy and I’m guessing most people already know what needs to be done. Here is a quick run down of the things you can do to keep yourself healthy and safe:

• Wash your hands regularly. Make sure to wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• Sanitize your hands with an alcohol based hand sanitizer when you are out in public. Ensure that you sanitize your hands upon entering and leaving any public place as well as after touching anything, including money.
• Sanitize your trolley before using it.
• Keep your home and belongings clean at all times – regular cleaning products should be sufficient for wiping down surfaces. Ensure things that you use regularly while out are clean such as your handbag, mobile phone and purse.
•  Avoid touching things whenever possible when you are in a public place.
• Avoid touching your face.
• Stay away from other people. Self-isolate as much as you can and when you are out in public try not to come into close contact with anyone. Avoid physically touching anyone.
• Avoid taking your kids to public places – young children touch almost everything.
• Avoid any travel unless absolutely necessary.

Keeping The Kids Home

There are many parents struggling with the dilemma of having their kids home and having to work. If you are fortunate you will be able to work from home with your children, have family that will be able to look after them or even be able to take your kids with you into the office.

However many parents have none of these options available. You may be able to find an aupair or a day mother – check out Little Rainbow Child Sitters on Facebook.

Having children off school for a long period of time can be really trying as it is, but when you are so limited to what you can do with your children during this pandemic it is is going to be so important to keep your kids busy and entertained.

My advice is to avoid taking your kids out with you to public places, however if you can get your children outdoors to a place where they can play, run and have fun in a safe environment where there are no other people or very few people go for it. Sunlight and fresh air will do you and your kids a load of good.

If you are stuck for ideas to keep your kids busy here are a few to get you going.

Printable Activities

I recommend downloading some kids printable activities. This can keep them busy and entertained as well as keep their brains active while there is no school. Have a look at Edunity – a South African company that provides printable activities for 2 to 6 year olds.

Baking

This is going to be an excellent activity to do with your kids. There is a shortage of food in the shops as it is and this is probably just going to get worse as the Corona Virus spreads. Already some of my friends have said that they have not been able to buy staple foods such as bread.

Find some great recipes online and bake some bread, muffins, banana bread or other goodies. Your kids will love it and you will save money and not have to go to the shop trying to find baked goods.

Other Activities include:

• board games
• charades
• crafting
• painting
• reading

The Financial Consequences

Many businesses have closed and there are many more businesses that have had a significant drop in income. Tourism, events, entertainment, restaurants and many other types of businesses are not able to run at full at steam right now.

The money markets are at an all time low and everyone is having to watch their money closely.

The Panic

While there is a risk of getting sick and there is concern over businesses and financial concerns there are also many people getting into a complete panic over the situation. People are bulk buying and there is a general feeling of panic and anxiety.

It is so important to remain calm and to remember that each person that bulk buys now is causing distress for another family. It is especially the lower income families that are at risk here, the families that do not have the resources to purchase anything other than for the day ahead.

Please refrain from bulk buying, it is affecting other people negatively.

Let’s All Support Each Other

Yes I earn an income from offering product reviews, social influencer posts and other advertising options. However the way I see things right now is that we are all literally struggling to survive. Some households have no income right now and times are going to get incredibly tough for everyone.

I ask that when you do need to buy something  consider buying from a parent that is trying to support their family. Let’s help each other get through this trying time.

I will be sharing some parent-run businesses on my Facebook page during this crisis so please keep your eyes open and support where you can. Remember that a share counts as much as a purchase, so if you are not able to support anyone by giving them business, please take a moment to share the businesses of other moms and give them a better chance of making it through this time period relatively unscathed.