We have all been through a lot over the past several weeks. Our daily lives have been turned upside down and we have been required to redesign our days. We are facing a new normal – working from a home office, homeschooling our children, and creating new experiences in the confines of our house. As moms, we are juggling many more things than we did before. This pandemic is exhausting.
Aside from remaining productive in my 8-5 job and my newfound homeschooling duties, I am the lunch lady, IT specialist, bicycle repair shop, and conflict resolution manager. I even learned to tune a ukulele. Throughout the day, I find myself releasing heavy sighs. I’m on conference calls and have to explain to my children that I will need to get back to them later. I’m not the best at keeping track of their daily school assignments, either. I know that I put a lot of pressure on myself to be all things to all people.
Giggling? During a Pandemic?
But, this week, as I sat in my home office, I heard my children giggling. They’d brought out a tent and set it up with intentions of sleeping in it overnight. Their innocent laughter caught my attention and I sat quietly and listened to their conversation. My daughter was occupied with how she would set it up to best complete her school work. My son wanted a comfy place to complete his reading for the day. They moved in blankets and pillows, strung twinkle lights inside, and created a “snack corner.”
I found it interesting that in a time where, as a nation, we feel claustrophobic inside our homes, my kids would want to create an even smaller space to spend their time. I’m surprised that after a month of being each other’s sole playmates that they have opted to find a way to be with each other even more. While so many of us are itching to leave our house and to be around others, my kids have found that a two-person tent and one another is all they need.
A Valuable Lesson
This got me thinking about how I am handling my attitude and emotions throughout this pandemic. At first, I was scared. Then I was angry. Anger turned to sadness. Had my children been following this same emotional rollercoaster ride? When this started, they had a million questions and they worried about their father (who is a nurse). For a few days (and still on occasion), they were angry. Don’t get me wrong, we’ve had our share of arguments and poor attitudes.
But when this is all over and we’ve resumed some of our old-normal activities, I will miss some of this. I am hopeful that the bond between brother and sister will continue to grow; that when times get tough they can still find support in one another and that their safe place will be with their family.
In the end, they didn’t end up staying in the tent overnight. They opted for the comfort of their own beds, but they have continued to find solace in their new space every day. This has been my biggest lesson during this season. I am grateful that my children have taught me so much.
