I talked to a lot of parents this week about how they were holding up with their kids being home and in self isolation. Most people seemed very optimistic and fortunate they could work from home and genuinely enjoy some quiet, quality time with the family. I suppose last week was March Break and most people were prepared for their children to be home anyways. I’d be interested to talk with the same people though after week two, or three (or four!) of this crisis.
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I’ll be honest, we are getting a bit squirrely over here. My daughter was supposed to go to gymnastics camp and had her outfit all picked out and ready to go. I tried explaining to her why it was cancelled but it was so confusing to her. She kept telling me, ‘but mom I’m not sick!’ and I kept trying to tell her I didn’t want her to get sick or pass on germs to other people. We usually spend a lot of time at the library and the pool and we can’t now so that isn’t helping. I can’t substitute her time away from camp with anything. We’ve been going on a lot of nature walks and playing outside. I am so thankful the weather has been nice. Spring is such a beautiful time and so full of hope.
The people of the Bulkley Valley also give me so much hope and happiness. I’ve seen so many people offering to help others right now. There is even a new Facebook page dedicated to connecting people who can help with those that need help. One woman posted that her kids were willing to deliver people groceries on their bikes. There is a child care section on it as well. If you don’t have family to help or close friends nearby, this can be a tricky time. Working from home with children running around is hard.
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I also hope the good that is happening around town outweighs the bad. There have been some incredibly selfish people hoarding food and refusing to social distance themselves. We are staying home not because we are sick but because we don’t want to pass on anything to someone who is immunocompromised or elderly. My heart breaks for parents with children who could easily get sick, they must be feeling so anxious and nervous. Let’s all be good neighbours and be extra kind to each other right now. Grab only what you need at the grocery store, practice social distancing as much as possible, support local businesses where you can and wash your hands. We are all in this together.
This week I’m planning on helping my daughters write a card to my grandma who is stuck inside her apartment, doing more crafts, spending as much time outside as possible, not feeling guilty about giving my daughter extra screen time and being hopeful for the future.
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