A Survival Guide to being Homebound during the COVID-19 Outbreak
The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has currently forced 20% of the world into lockdown, ordering many to stay indoors and avoid socialization. These extreme measures are being enforced in order to protect our population and minimize the exhaustion of medical resources. The current strategies of isolation and quarantine mirror the aged-old veterinary practice of herd health. In the past, most Americans likely would have taken offense to being compared to livestock. However, in light of our children being home due to school closures, it may become increasing challenging to argue that a parallel doesn’t exist. Have you not yet wondered today if your child was raised in a barn or yelled at them to clean up their pig sty?
For me, the pandemic has brought to light a new unsung hero…The Stay at Home Parent. For many of us, this is our first experience being home with our children for prolonged stretches of time, multiple days in a row. During these early days of shelter in-place orders, it has become obvious to me that the stay at home parent has the most underappreciated job in the world. For all those parents excelling at home-schooling and child rearing, I applaud you. As someone who knows shockingly very little about early childhood development, I am so thankful that my children are not of the age where I would be expected to teach them something complex, such as fractions or prepositions. Who knows what irreversible damage that could cause to their education? Rather, my days at home are filled with more achievable victories like “bathe children today”. When the day ends, I pat myself on the back for successfully keeping them both alive so we can do it all over again tomorrow.
In these chaotic and uncertain times, it is important to find coping mechanisms that work for you and your herd. To avoid the depression and anxiety that can come from isolation, below is a list of strategies I use to navigate through my days:
- Get dressed daily, even if it’s just to change out of one pair of yoga pants directly into another. Make the children get dressed daily too. Getting dressed sets the tone for a more productive day. Besides, a lapse in personal hygiene is probably not ideal during a national health crisis.
- Make a daily schedule. The schedule does not necessarily need to be written down or set in stone, but making a list of daily goals or activities to accomplish will add structure to your child’s day. Structure is what they are used to receiving in the classroom. Outlining organization to the day can also give them something to look forward to at the end of the day to help them hurdle through less desirable tasks. For instance, I tell my toddler we will go for a walk after nap time. With older children, you may tell them that after completing their school work, they will then have time for a personal activity that they enjoy. In moments of extreme frustration, its probably best to avoid false promises or bribes that you can not bring to fruition, such as a social visit to see a friend or a trip to the playground. Children have longer memories than goldfish and will remember your little fib. Once they suspect your problem with the truth, there goes Christmas… Forever.
- Complete at least one daily task or project around the house. We all have a list of things we have been postponing for weeks, months, maybe even years. Now is the ideal time to tackle that to-do list! I try to complete at least one project a day. These tasks include cleaning out the fridge, organizing file cabinets, cleaning and discarding old toys and clothes. Some of these tasks can be completed with the children scampering around me, but usually I can get more done once they are in bed for the night. Be prepared that some of these projects, such as scrubbing out the diaper pails or disinfecting highchairs, may make you question why you ever had children.
- Get outdoors daily! Sunshine provides Vitamin D to help fight off depression, while exercise is important to both physical and mental health. When going for a walk, play games with the younger children, such as “I Spy”. Our neighborhood set up a “bear hunt” where several houses hid teddy bears around their property, visible from the street. Now when we go for a stroller ride, we can spend time hunting for bears. Similar games can be played in your own yard and made more age appropriate, such as scavenger hunts. Do not miss this opportunity to trick your children into doing yardwork. Their eagerness to get out of the house may lead them to volunteer to weed or rake. No child is too young to be put to work. My toddler was bribed into picking up acorns from under our oak tree, just to see how full she could get a bucket.
- Enjoy spending quality time with your family. Inevitably, the time will come when you will all be tired of seeing each other, but for now, be grateful that the world has slowed down just enough to cook dinner together, watch a movie or play a game as a family. If you are already tired of spending time with one another, good luck and God speed!
- Make time for yourself. Use this opportunity to better yourself or do something enjoyable, such as read a book or take a bath. I have started taking Spanish lessons online. The key is to do this activity alone, and for your own enjoyment. Feel free to couple your alone time with a glass (or bottle) of wine as needed. No one will judge you.
