Over a week after schools closed due to coronavirus, parents are getting more used to teaching their children at home.
But for some children with special needs, the change in routine is more confusing.
Today for our My Quarantine Routine mini-, we’re chatting to Nicki Rodriguez, 43, from Brentwood in Essex, has two children.
She is now homeschooling her nine-year-old son Harry, who is autistic and her 17-year-old daughter has finished school but didn’t have to sit her A Level exams.
Although Harry can continue to go to school because of his special needs, she has decided to teach him at home.
She also runs two businesses – a PR company and an interior design/house organising service.
This is how she spent Wednesday 19 March, before we headed into lockdown.
6:30 am
Woken up by my partner Ray (we don’t live together) as my mum had called me the night before to say that M&S were opening at 8 am with a food delivery. I have been unable to buy any meat now for days.
Ray and I have five children between us and this weekend we have the four youngest ones so we need food in both of our houses as we flit between the two.
7:15 am
Ray has to literally nudge me to get up as he has to go to work. He runs a used car dealer business in Epping so has to meet a customer.
7:40 am
Arrive outside M&S in Epping and already there are about 50 people queuing outside. The atmosphere feels like a bull is going to be charging through and as the doors open I feel it is like a throwback from the Dale Winton show Super Market Sweep.
It is organised chaos with everyone grabbing everything. Luckily, I did manage to get the meat we needed and some other bits.
8:20 am
Arrived at Tesco in Epping to find yet again, no milk, eggs, bread, potatoes, pasta and meat unless you like chicken thighs! So many empty shelves but they did have a notice not to buy in bulk and they had restricted items.
9 am
Last bit of a shop in a card shop to get cards for my mum, Ray’s mum and step-dad (birthday) and then I’m back to Ray’s to unload shopping for his house, collect his laundry, put on a beef casserole in the slow cooker and go to collect my son Harry from his dad.
10:30 am
Pop in to see Ray and also do some social media work for Carwise.
11 am
Go to collect Harry and when I arrive I am instantly sanitised by my 89 year old ex-mother in law who lives with Harry’s dad.
The school have called me to say that due to Harry having an Education, Health and Care Plan he can return to school but after a quick chat, we both agreed to keep him off.
I will homeschool him – it is too risky for him catching anything and passing it to his nan when he is with his dad.
12 pm
Arrive home with Harry, unpack car and then Harry has his lunch. Put on a beef casserole in slow cooker for later. I have done same at Ray’s so we both have extra to freeze.
We then sit down together and work out a timetable for Harry to do Monday-Friday because routine is vital for him and he has to know what he is doing.
His school have sent homework for him and he understands it is not all just playing now there’s no school, he still has to do work.
We plant some seeds I got courtesy of M&S so he can learn about chilli peppers and then he gets on with some work on the iPad.
1:15 pm
I now can focus on PR work for an hour or so. One of my clients is ex The Apprentice star Paul Sullivan, so we have a brief catch up with Paul.
A few of my other clients are shutdown at present and thankfully with my interior work so far nobody has cancelled yet.
3 pm
Time to go back into mum mode so house work duties and also checking Harry has done all he was meant too.
4 pm
Start ironing Ray’s clothing and finally got to watch the rest of Celebs go Dating! Best reality show on the planet and the commentator has me in stitches.
5:30pm
Dinner time for Harry and I.
Received a call from my lovely friend Sarah Green who is a Meghan Markle lookalike. She has a son with autism and has seen that I have posted pictures of Harry with his timetable and asked for some ideas.
I’ve given her some apps for her son to download and visual timetable ideas including the reward time.
6:30 pm
Catch up with Ray to see how he is day is going. Ray’s passion is quad racing so after he finished work he’s been working on his quad.
Also had a catch up with two of my best friends, Janey and June. They both have boys on the autistic spectrum too, so life is going to be hard for them over the next few months. The three of us speak every single day to help and support each other.
Another catch up with my PR mentor and good friend, ex celebrity hairdresser Steven Smith. Steven speaks to me most days and has recently helped me with a client.
7 pm
Harry’s bath time and while he is in the bath, I am checking my emails sitting on the bathroom floor. The PR world is never 9-5.
8:30 pm
Harry is now in bed and I am now sorting out clothes for us as we are staying with Ray and his girls at the weekend.
It feels like we are going on holiday with the amount of stuff we’re taking. We don’t know if will be on lockdown or still allowed to go out.
It is Ray’s daughter Violet’s 10th birthday on Saturday so just remember I need to collect her cake tomorrow.
Catch up with Ray’s sister Jodie and by the time I look at the clock its nearly 10 pm. I can have an early night for a change.
10 pm
Called Ray to say goodnight, checked on Harry and I am finally in bed.
if you want to get involved with My Quarantine Routine, email laura.abernethy@metro.co.uk.
MORE: My Quarantine Routine: Ash, a 30-year-old cabaret performer who has become a virtual pub quiz host
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source https://metro.co.uk/2020/03/31/quarantine-routine-nicki-self-employed-mum-two-now-homeschooling-autistic-son-12481051/?ITO=squid
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