With schools closed and parents considering how they can keep their children occupied, it is worth reiterating the advice that the Department of Education has issued.
In its statement on the school closures, the department asked all pupils and students "from pre-school to third level" to practice social distancing, and to minimise physical contact with each other, to help avoid the spread of Covid-19.
The department went on to say that this "should include minimising social contact, avoiding meeting up and keeping physical space between them".
This is a big ask, especially for very young children.
This morning, the department has elaborated somewhat on this last phrase, saying that children and teens and young people should avoid meeting up "in groups".
And a spokesperson has said "this doesn't mean there is a total lockdown and kids can't go outside, but they should be conscious of these measures".
The department has urged parents and guardians to support their children to maintain this approach.
For parents, and children, and teens with cabin fever, there is a balance to be struck here. It is about using common sense. Key words in the department advice include "mimimise" and "avoid".
Group play dates, sleepovers, birthday parties and movie nights would all fall clearly into the category of social contact that is inadvisable.
Of course, this presents problems for parents. How do you persuade a teenager - who is climbing up the walls with boredom and frustration, as only teenagers can - that they should avoid meeting up with their peer group?
For teens like this, the knowledge that their actions are helping protect those most vulnerable in society is likely to be an influential one.
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Parents, teachers advised over how to talk to children about virus
What is the Covid-19 coronavirus?
And how do you manage young children who are equally frustrated, but who don’t understand?
What about a small only child? Should they be allowed play with their little friend across the road?
Advice by the way of explaining the crisis to children is available.
All this of course presents huge challenges to families living in restricted conditions - not least for homeless families and those living in Direct Provision.
On the cabin fever issue, teacher Ciara Sotcheck of St Joseph’s National School in Coolock gave good advice to RTÉ News yesterday.
"Try and get a little educational work done with your primary school age children each day, and make sure," she said, "that they also get the chance to have a good runaround in the fresh air every day".
This is vital for them, to relieve pent up energy.
It may also benefit worn out parents too.
