I’m a working mom with a school-aged kid. Since March, my husband and I have been engaged in the tightrope act of living at work while also being teacher/parent/counselor to our daughter. A lot has changed since school and pretty much all extracurricular activity was abruptly closed in March. We’ve had some wins, A LOT of fails, and a few adjustments for the better—all things considered.
One of the biggest realizations we had early on was that we couldn’t be an island. We not only desperately needed support to stay above water, but we also needed community to keep us tethered to something. So after lots of open dialogue with friends and family we started to expand our bubble.
It wasn’t easy and there were lots of stops and starts, but we now have a set Pandemic pod. 3 families—6 adults and 5 kids in total. We lean on each other for errands and child care. We socialize regularly. If someone has a family member that wants to visit or if one family is planning a road trip, it’s something that needs to be discussed with the pod. Quarantine periods are established, shifting of responsibilities happen, new lines of comfortability are drawn. Everything is an ongoing conversation.
Is it exhausting? Yes. Is it worth it? Absolutely. Read More
