We’re in our sixth month of COVID life. The four of us are pretty much home, all together, all the time.
Notable things that are missing from this new way of life:
- In-person shopping.
- Aside from going to Trader Joe’s a couple times a month by myself, we use Instacart or shop online for everything else. Shopping is no longer a fun task to me; I’d rather avoid the reminder that life is so different as much as possible.
- Our kids have not been into a store since March 13th.
- Multiple sports practices and games per week for
Avery.
- He usually plays basketball, baseball, and soccer. We were going to try flag football this year.
- Activities for Dakota like going to the library and playtime at gymnastics. We were looking into signing her up for dance before COVID hit.
- In-person school for both kids.
- Date nights.
- Making plans to see friends and family without a thought.
- Eating in restaurants.
Notable things that we have gained from this new way of life:
- A reminder to be grateful.
- More time together as a family than we’ve ever had.
- A renewed love of our home and the comfort that home brings.
- Less stress from a slower pace of living.
- More mental stress worrying about the unknowns of the future.
I wanted to share a breakdown of how each weekday feels right now…
6:59AM:
Our oldest (who spends most of each night sleeping on our bedroom floor) comes to my side of the bed to wake me up for the day. He wants me to get up with him and go in the living room. The rule is to not wake me before 7AM…he thinks that 6:59 is close enough.
It’s not.
I need that minute!
I know 7AM might sound late to some of you. Our kids go to bed at 8:30PM and are sleeping by 9PM. Our schedule is a little later than other little ones we know.
7:15AM:
The alarm goes off to make sure Dada is up to get ready for work. He has been working from home since March 16th – a few days before the CA shutdown, and right after we had our first confirmed COVID-19 case in our county.
After working in a makeshift office in our spare room for a couple months, we decided to revamp the room into a true office. In a future post, I’ll share before and after details.
Without the commute factored into his morning, we can all get a few more minutes of sleep.
6:59AM-8:15AM:
Kids ask for food repeatedly and watch a show on TV.
I drink two cups of coffee and try to get myself dressed and ready, including eating breakfast while getting food for the kids.
Our youngest, Dakota, has to be online with her TK class at 8:15AM. She is not a morning person, and I have to coax and remind her to get dressed a few times.
I’m not a morning person either, p.s.
Brian starts work.
8:15AM-9AM:
I sit with Dakota during her virtual meeting with her class. I try to keep her on task and engaged; help her unmute/mute her microphone so she can participate when needed.
Avery works on his assignments for the day primarily on his own, but also asks me for help while I’m helping Dakota with her meeting. He will almost complete them during this time.
9AM-10:15AM:
Kids ask for food repeatedly.
I remind Dakota she has another meeting with her TK class at 10:15. She is not excited.
She also has four to five short daily assignments, but we put those off until the afternoon. The virtual meetings are enough for the morning.
10:15AM-10:45AM:
Dakota is online with her class and listening to lessons with her teacher. Like the earlier meeting, I am sitting next to Dakota to make sure she is paying attention and helping where needed.
Avery works on finishing his assignments if needed.
10:45AM-12:45PM:
We play outside – riding bikes and scooters, going on a walk in the neighborhood. Elaborate forts are created inside the house (in multiple rooms).
Couch cushions are removed and piled up.
Messes are made.
The messes stress me out. But I try to tell myself they are just being kids…it only kind of works.
I make lunch for everyone (including Brian).
The kids have somehow negotiated to eat popsicles before they eat lunch. We have always done treats after dinner, and that moved to treats after lunch and dinner over the summer. Then in the heat of summer, they “needed” popsicles before lunch instead of after lunch to cool down.
Yes, I know it sounds like the kids are in charge.
What can I say? ?
12:45PM-3:15PM:
Our oldest, Avery, meets with his second-grade class virtually. They get one 2-minute break plus a 15-minute recess in the 2.5-hour meeting.
Overall, he’s doing really well with the distance learning, but by the time he hits two hours of the virtual meeting, he is wiggly and ready to be off the computer.
Avery wants me to sit with him during his meeting. I help him find worksheets, make sure he’s listening, and keep him company. I don’t mind doing this for him; I am grateful to have the opportunity to keep him more engaged in distance learning.
Although I don’t mind it, it’s still mentally draining.
While Avery is in his meeting, I am also trying to get Dakota to complete her assignments. It is a challenge for her. She enjoys the worksheets (some of the time), but doesn’t like to watch numerous videos of songs and read-alouds.
The juggling of her assignments and his meeting makes me feel anxious at times.
3:15PM-5PM:
Kids are ready to be done with school and want to play. If it’s not too hot, we will play out front again (we live on a cul-de-sac and are lucky to have a best friend for the kids two doors down).
They will also ask for food repeatedly during this time.
5PM:
Tell the kids numerous times that we can’t play any longer and need to go inside so that I can start dinner.
They beg for more time.
Brian is still working. He will usually stop for the day between 5:30-6PM (and may work again after the kids are in bed for awhile).
I feel tired.
6PM:
We eat dinner.
Kids race through the meal to get their treat, especially Dakota. We leave her plate out and she will eat more dinner after she eats her treat.
Kids ask to play outside repeatedly. Brian is tired from working and wants to relax.
The kids don’t allow it.
Again, the kids are in charge.
What can I say? ?
7:00PM:
We go outside again for a few minutes. We may take a family walk, or let the kids play in the driveway.
7:30PM-8:20PM:
Bath and shower time for the kids, pj’s, and watching a show.
Kids fight over what they want to watch.
Kids ask for their nightly before-bed snack of applesauce and a yogurt.
8:20PM-9PM:
We brush teeth and commence the bedtime routine: tucking each one in, singing songs (one for Avery, two for Dakota), laying with Dakota until she almost falls asleep, checking on Avery who may be awake and request I lay with him, too.
9PM:
Finally getting some time to ourselves, we will watch a show. Brian will pull out his laptop most nights during this time, too.
Yellowstone is a current favorite, but Dateline or 20/20 is a solid contender, too – I like that there is a complete story in each episode; no commitment to watching a whole season.
If the day feels too heavy, we will put on a stand-up comedy special.
And then stay up too late.
And then do it all again the next day…
