It’s a whole new world. A world when Managing It All takes on a new meaning. The meaning could be different for different people, but there have been constant themes to every story – it has been a strange, stressful, and yet a somewhat amazing time. Managing a quarantined life with children, work, and all the ins and outs of daily living in a shut downed world has been an unprecedented time. A saying I have heard a lot lately is “we are all in the same ocean but rowing our own boat”. We all row along while our boats sway back and forth with the waves, sometimes in rough waters, and the stories of our lives unfold. Each story with unique characters, different plots, but at the end of the chapter we will have more in common than we realize.
Put On Your Pants!
We have the story of the working parents juggling quarantined kids and a hectic work-at-home schedule. Put yourself in their shoes for a minute. Your day starts with attempting to get your six-year old to understand how to log into Zoom for the class story time at 7am. At the same time you are arguing with your 14 year old to get out of bed, but you really do not understand why they are starting online classes an hour and half earlier than real class either. You just know the kids have to be online or there will be texts, calls, and emails from the very well-meaning struggling teacher again. (knowing they are going through exactly what you are) All while your 11-year old is trying to rush to finish homework that should have been done two days before and you are trying to help, but you have no idea what the heck that is – it sure isn’t how you learned math. Oh, and let’s not forget the kids should really eat at some point; and you should probably shower and at least brush your hair before your 8am video conference with the team.
The entire day seems just as challenging between video conferences, emails that pile up, ensuring the kids are online for school, doing homework, and don’t forget PE time! Also answering the same questions a million times…why can’t I go to Katy’s house, when is lunch, when will you be done working so we can go to the park, where’s the toilet paper, why, who, what….Of course all asked on camera during any video presentation with a customer, topped off by a finale with your 6 year old running through in their underwear while on with your executives. The thought crosses your mind that your kid’s teachers have lied to you about what a “pleasure your child is to have in class”, and you really should send her a gift card. Once work is finally over – which seems like never since there is no defined start and stop to the day from your home office – you find ways to entertain bored quarantined kids. You end the day mentally and physically exhausted knowing it will all start over tomorrow. In many ways these are the lucky ones.
Keep Rowing!
Then we have the stories of those not as lucky to have a job that they could do from home. They are rowing hard, and sometimes having to bail out the water in the storm. On top of the stress of quarantined homeschooled kids, they are now dealing with the loss of income. Or they have taken a temporary job as a driver to get by for now – because we all do what we need to for our family. But the hours are different, and the pay is lower. They struggle with the schedule of homeschool, keeping the kids online when they work their shifts, getting homework done, paying the bills, and keeping the house clean when the kids never leave it. The stores have limited hours now and their work schedule only lines up one day a week for a total of a 2 hour overlap to get groceries, 30 mins of which they spend in line waiting to get into the store. The stress of missing that window almost drives them to tears because no milk, no bread, and no lunch meat means the kids have nothing to eat when they are at work…and let’s not forget the reality of running out of toilet paper with a house full of kids and the chaos that would bring. They help with the homework, prepare the house for a day with kids home alone, spend as much quality time as possible and find ways to entertain bored quarantined kids. They go to bed mentality and physically exhausted knowing it will all start over tomorrow. But they keep their hand on that paddle and bail that water as fast as they can, rowing along.
Another group rowing alongside us are those parents putting themselves in danger every day – those in essential healthcare positions on the frontline of this pandemic. If they are lucky, they have someone at home watching the kids because daycares and schools have been shut down. They are working extra long shifts to fight the battle. They watch a disease they have minimum protection against, no control over, and very few tools to fight against, ravage our society. They then come home already mentally and physically exhausted – very careful of what they may bring home to their families. Then they spend as much quality time as they can with their kids because no one knows more than they do these days how important these moments are to be cherished. They help with the homework and entertain the bored quarantined kids and worry who is getting groceries in the small window of time. They end the day more mentally and physically exhausted, knowing it will all start over tomorrow. But they keep rowing.
Blue Skies Ahead!
These stories do have some blue skies over the ocean we can all see from our boats. Families are spending more quality time together. Home cooking is becoming a norm again. Family game night is being reinstituted. Smog around the world has decreased dramatically due to less cars on the road, and less factories up and running. Nurses and teachers are being praised and given the recognition they so deserve. Society is having to think about the greater good, because it is now very clear no matter what boat we are in we are all in the same ocean.
It is a whole new world. We are all adjusting to a new way life in our new boats. We are rowing and rowing, some speeding right along, others bailing water with whole in their bucket. Managing it all the best we can while trying to keep our sanity. No matter your story, the size, color, or shape of your boat remember you are not in this alone. Help those who can’t help themselves, don’t be afraid to ask for help yourself, and remember your mental health is just as important as your physical.
Stay Safe and Healthy Managing It all Readers!
Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.
James M. Barrie