Things I have learned during social distancing.

I crave fresh air. I never knew how much I needed fresh air until I was cooped up inside. Just a 10 minute walk around the block lifts my spirits.

My kids are pretty good at entertaining themselves. They play legos and magnatiles, watch TV, play dollies, and read books while I take a phone call. I am so very grateful for this.

I can get a lot done during a nap. McKenna puts on her headphones and plays on the iPad while George naps. Today I was able to attend a video meeting, download and organize a ton of curriculum resources, and start dinner all within just 2 hours.

I forget to eat. If I don’t set an alarm to take a break, I will forget to eat. I do this at work, too. But coworkers tend to eat around the same time and invite me to join them. Without them, it’s 3:00 and I remember that I didn’t eat when I fed the kids at noon.

I need people. While working by myself, I can get a lot done. But I miss the back-and-forth banter of an office full of women.

I need a work from home set up. I’ve been working at counter and it’s fine. But if this is for the long haul, then I need a set up that is more conducive to working from home but still in eyesight of the kids.

I’m a tea fanatic. I don’t drink much tea or coffee at school. I don’t know when the last time the Keurig was cleaned and I’m a little scared of the water since the Village’s scandal a few years ago. But at home, I make a pot in my favorite tea maker. Then make another. And another.

I’m not sure how things are going to work once my husband starts working from home in a couple weeks. With both of us working and trying to care for the kids, I’m not sure if we will survive. We will be out of work spaces and I’m sure fresh out of nerves.

I’m glad we pulled the kids out of daycare. Our daycare is still open. And I know that may be a little controversial for some. But want it to remain available for the children of first responders, healthcare and adjacent personnel. If that means that the kids are home with me so there is a reduced opportunity for contamination at the school, I’m good with that.

I am way better at this than I thought I would be. It’s hard. Like really, really hard. But I’ve been managing to balance both work and children. I’ve put dinner on the table all week and even got a load of laundry folded and put away today. I anticipate that as this becomes the new normal over the next few weeks (or EEKS…months), the same urgency won’t be threaded through my days as it is now. And maybe it’ll even become a little easier.

I am writing for the 2020 Slice of Life Challenge.