How are you and your child dealing with the Coronavirus?
Our schools shut down a week ago. My younger son’s school transitioned to online learning, my older son’s teachers are giving students optional assignments as enrichment. Neither child seems to mind sleeping in later. 😊 Of course, my husband and I are also working from home which can make for an interesting work day. I’m grateful my kids are older and can care for/entertain themselves. I do, however, enjoy, when I’m on a work video conference and I get to see someone’s child, or family pet wonder into the picture. It reminds me how similar we are — it’s comforting.
Restaurants are take-out only or delivery, public places closed to help slow/stop the spread of the virus. The first week transitioning to this new normal wasn’t easy.
One way we are dealing with the situation is going for walks around our neighborhood. With virtually no traffic it’s easy to distance ourselves from your neighbors. While walking one day we saw a neighbor sitting on her porch. We lamented the change in our daily routines. I shared how there was a calm, almost a peace, I was feeling that I haven’t felt in a while (maybe ever). That with no distractions–having to get kids various places at various times, work commitments, and other activities outside the home–I was forced to just be. She smiled when I said that. “I know what you mean,” she commented. We both agreed having no distractions was a blessing, if only it weren’t the result of a pandemic.
Eventually the pandemic will pass, and life will return to normal. Or maybe we’ll come out of this with a new normal, who knows? For now, I’m trying to embrace the opportunity to just be.
How are you coping with this new normal? Is there any unexpected upside you’re experiencing?
Have the Parenting Journey you were meant to 
I’m enjoying short neighborhood walks with my kids. Yesterday, though, I thought I might occasionally want to go out with only the dog. I love being outdoors with my kids, but I think I’m finding an urge to also occasionally get into a brisk walking zone … I’m sure I can make space for both, if I remember both walking alone and walking together are important to me. 🙂
Having time for yourself is equally important. I, too, need time to figure things out — how I’m feeling, how I’m doing, what I need to (or can do) do to help my boys, my husband and I get through this — having alone time (walking the dog is perfect) can give you that time you need.