“We've gained weight. My husband is exhausted, but there's never much downtime for us and certainly no alone time. We feel too guilty to even make a just-because Target run, so there are fewer outlets for our stress,” Samantha told us how difficult parenting during the quarantine has become.
“Our kids seem to scream even louder and want a snack even more desperately when we jump on work calls. On the bright side, I feel like this situation has pushed us closer together as a family,” the mom-of-two mused about the pros and cons of the lockdown.
“Depending so much on my husband to do most of the childcare and other household chores has made me appreciate him even more. My kids have always been in daycare, even during summer breaks, so they're enjoying a summer break of sorts for the first time ever. They fight a lot, but they also play together and have grown closer,” she said.
“Fortunately, I don't think social distancing has been too difficult for my children. They have each other to play with, and we live in a warm climate so we are able to get outside, hike, and go to the beach,” Samantha explained that their family has plenty of activities to keep them busy.
“My daughter is preschool age and needs lots of attention, which has been difficult for my husband and me as we try to address her needs while also working and homeschooling. I'm looking forward especially to getting her back to kids her age. My 8-year-old son is able to work more independently, and we've let him wear a mask and talk at a distance with the neighborhood kids a few times.”
Samantha pointed out that she’s been thoroughly impressed by her kids and their talents during the pandemic. “They are little YouTube stars in the making with the videos they create on their phones. One windy day I looked out of my backyard window and my son was leaping off a play set with an umbrella over his head, trying to fly like Mary Poppins. I believe a little boredom can lead to real creativity in kids, and adults too!” she said about how creativity can bloom when we’re bored.
The mom also had some great advice for every single parent out there. “My best advice to other parents during the pandemic is to let go of too many expectations. Prioritize what's most important: sleep, healthy food mixed in with the junk, kids using their brains in some way each day.”
She continued: “Let go of becoming the ‘perfect’ Pinterest parent during this time. If anyone claims to be perfect right now, they're not giving you the whole story. We're all struggling to some degree. I also love the idea of doing kind acts for others, and involving our kids in those actions. It's harder to feel sorry for ourselves when we're focusing on making someone else's day a little brighter.” So remember: doing your best is enough; don’t try to be perfect.
Bored Panda also previously spoke with parenting expert Dr. Laura Markham from Aha Parenting. She told us that for parents to stay ‘sane’ during the quarantine, it’s best to reduce expectations and focus on the most important things: “Like helping your family stay healthy, supporting your child, and replenishing yourself.”
Markham pointed out that kids are also under a lot of stress, not just parents. The expert suggests that parents learn mindfulness to manage their anxiety, help kids with their conflict resolution skills, and to spend some one-on-one time every day to strengthen the parent-child bond. “You didn't choose this particular marathon. But you're learning something about your own strength and how to support yourself to be your best.”
