Our family has been in isolation, and the kids have been home full time since March 25th, when our school’s Spring Break started. I remember coming into this wondering if this was going to last one, two, three weeks maybe? If things were going back to “normal” once Spring Break was over, or by July, as some people speculated. Some even said it was going to last all summer!

Well, here we are, today, the second week of July. Our province in BC has thankfully kept things mostly under control, and we have very few daily cases reported now. Stores, hair salons, restaurants, and medical offices have been slowly reopening during the last few weeks, and we are all transitioning into the “new normal”. However, it is not back to normal yet. I don’t think it will ever be; things have forever changed.

We are still avoiding unnecessary trips to grocery stores or malls when we don’t feel like we have to go. I learned to cut my husband’s and kid’s hairs, so we are not going to salons yet, and we are getting a lot of groceries and other supplies delivered to avoid going out. 

Parenting During These Crazy Times

Whenever we have to go out, and we are going into enclosed areas, we try to maintain distance, and we all wear masks. We avoid touching our faces and come straight home to wash our hands. We just avoid getting into situations where we are very close to others, for the most part, but if it is needed, we always wear masks, to help protect others.

Having the boys at home 24/7 for months has been a transition. It has been a great bonding experience, of course. My husband is working from home as well, so we are always together. It is rare that we all get to spend this much time together without somebody going to school, work, a camp, a playdate with friends, etc.  Close distance like this also means we all feel like we need to take breaks from each other, hide in our rooms for a bit, get some quiet time. It is difficult to get quiet time when you have a full house of people. And let’s not talk about getting actual work done while they are awake.

I find that there are a lot of unresolved emotions happening right now for me. There is sadness, a feeling of grief as life has changed completely for all; there is a fear of the unknown and what the future will bring. And of course, staying hopeful, knowing that I have to keep things light and positive for the kids, and for myself. Knowing that we are not alone and that things will have to get better. 

I have also realized that we are flexible and adaptable, and we figure things out if we need to. From learning new skills to letting go of daily routines and learning to deal with new ones. It is all a process, and we make it work somehow. Also, we have all mastered washing our hands, cleaning our groceries, and disinfecting our mail and other deliveries! Right?

How are things going for you? Do you feel like you are bottling up your emotions as well? For me, it feels difficult to let go and feel those emotions fully right now. Things are unresolved and having children, I have to stay strong for them. I know they will come out eventually, as emotions usually do.

Hope you are all staying safe, sane, and healthy friends! 

Ps. Try to stay away from watching the daily news. I have been avoiding them for a while, for my mental health!