The kids have been at home now for four weeks since schools were closed. I've been at home for most of three weeks (after Europe I was in a separate apartment in Nairobi in self-isolation then one week of occasional work from home vs work from office whilst the government "encouraged working from home", and now two weeks at home since the government "strongly encouraged everyone to work from home"). Most of the time the kids have been in a sort of routine with home schooling by Andrea for 2-3 hours a day, and the rest of the time split between playing or watching TV/Computer Games. Home schooling involves some exercises set by the school and emailed, and other exercises Andrea makes up as the school doesn't send very much (and didn't send anything during Easter, but we've kept the schooling going during the holiday).
The house has had to undergo some renovations. Changes to desks for us to use. Times Table posters and star charts (i.e. you get stars once you finish tasks) stuck on walls, more plants in the house and on the balcony. Kids toys and rugs sometimes moved on the balcony. Tables set up with painting materials. Plenty of hand sanitizer and extra soap everywhere. We are pressing elevator buttons with our elbows and washing hands frequently for what it's worth.
Hannah likes to say that she is bored even though she is not bored. She only says she is bored because she wants to watch TV or play computer games. Actually she is perfectly happy playing with her horses, unicorns, farm and many many other toys together with her sister, Leah. Computer games may be better than TV, since TV seems to always have more episodes that kids can beg to watch!
The girls often play with their friends in the same apartment complex (technically in Nairobi there are few official restrictions on what you can do in the day, as long as you avoid large groups, you are just encouraged to stay at home, and many things are still open) which really helps. But they also like to play board games, or singing and dancing to videos, or building a house with blankets on top of chairs.
When they do play downstairs there is an interesting variety of games. Some more physical ones, involving chase, tag and so on. Others more imaginative with role plays. The weather is warm, and when the sun is out it is very pleasant but the pool is mostly in the shade so the kids have only used it once. Leah is very strong willed so often has issues playing in the groups of friends if she doesn't get her way, which sometimes ends in tears. But Hannah also often ends up in tears for some reason or another. Especially later in the day when she is tired.
For me, there's a routine of taking the dog out, going for a run, having breakfast and then spending most of the day on the phone and on the computer moving between the bedroom, the kitchen table and the balcony. With occasional trips downstairs for a walk with the dog again; and then trying to find a couple of hours in the evenings with the kids to play. There's still work to do (some things are still the same as before, and there are some new things to replace other things that are on pause). Andrea usually manages to get a few hours of work in as well, which is not too bad, though obviously not as much as she'd like when the kids were at school.
So far Kenya has not had many cases; partly because Kenya was quite quick to quarantine people who flew in (and then banned flights altogether), and partly because they have only tested those who have turned up sick to hospitals, or those in quarantine (and their "contacts"). Next week there will be a lot more testing of regular people, so let's see how many other people may have the virus without being sick, and then we may know what will happen in May and how long we will stay in the current state.
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