Reality check - pinch me, I must be having a bad dream
We’re over 2 weeks into staying at home and looking back it all feels like a blur and each morning the first thought crossing my mind is that’s it’s all been nothing but a bad dream, but then reality hits me. In a very odd way this brings back the same feelings I had after my Dad passed away, when for weeks I woke up thinking it’s all been a silly dream, but then having to embrace the painful truth each day. Yes, it’s not the same thing as mourning an irreplaceable person’s loss, but this is a loss for each of us, on different levels.
My heart goes out for those who lost so much - important exams, jobs, dreams they’ve worked on, businesses they built over years, and sadly even dear ones lost to the virus. ❤️ Somehow some of these will hopefully be fixed. The list of cancelled events, holidays, adventures, weddings is getting longer and makes me so sad. Some of them are only postponed, but it’s still hard.
Feels so selfish to complain about smaller insignificant things. Feels so selfish to complain about how hard it is to work from home, about what a challenge it is to be locked in with our family. But that is some people’s reality and this is not easy for anyone. We’re still trying to get into a routine and still experimenting different approaches. We finally arranged sort of a proper office space us to work and Ariana to do some learning alongside, and hide away from Emma. 😂 She already joined last week some Teams meetings where other participants had children on their laps as well. It’s a new reality and nobody expects things to be perfect, people are getting more laid back and flexible. Maybe it’s a good lesson for us all, learning to become less perfectionists and more understanding.
I was absolutely amazed how quickly business continuity plans were put in place and how smoothly the transition has been for many. It came as sort of a surprise to find out that I am actually a key worker and my employer is a critical business. Still, feels like we are completely insignificant compared to the absolute superstars who are the NHS workers. Buy hey, people in. this world need their IT sorted as well.
First week of homeschooling went quite well, probably mostly because we had no intention or expectations. We tried to do something each day, and Ariana was happy to spend some random time next to me while I was working, and do some of her school stuff independently and ask for the occasional help. I felt it was the right approach for her and allowed all of us to adjust. And anyway, I would not have the time for a completely structured school day, and nor would I want to do that. I will however try to follow the school guidelines and make sure we cover as much as we can of the learning being sent home. Can’t imagine how parents who have more than one child at school manage this whole homeschooling business. Apart from attempting to work and learn, we had a lot of fun activities which really helped transitioning into this crazy new way of living. Things like creating rainbows, make some art with hand and footprints (at some point it became quite messy and felt like wasn’t the best idea, but then again, clean houses are overrated), putting up the greenhouse and sowing seeds, having a movie night with popcorn, eating lunch outside, going out cycling or running, painting nails, doing online dance class. For this week we made a list of fun things to do and stuck it on the fridge, but it’s already Friday and haven’t ticked many. There’s no pressure, the girls are happily playing together and not complaining yet.
These days I am struggling a bit, as I have done each beginning of April over the last 7 years. On 3rd April 2013 I lost my Dad, and his funeral was on 5th April. That is how it works in Romania, funerals follow very quickly, allowing very little time to the family to get hold of reality. I had so much to sort out on those couple of days, and I barely remember anything.. But I remember how I couldn’t find my Dad’s birth certificate - instead I found a short poem he wrote when he was at university (he was studying science so not by far a poet!). It is hard to translate, but the idea is around the concept ‘I keep writing, just in case ink turns to water, as I know sooner or later I’ll be gone’. It was as if he wanted me to find it and we have later arranged for it to be engraved on his tombstone.
Few years later, on 5th April 2016 Emma was being born - 8 days later than her due date. It felt like the universe tried to make up to me on that particular day. She has indeed fixed everything and brought so much happiness and joy into our lives each day.
I certainly hope the universe will make it up for these crazy times as well. But even in hard times we can manage to find things to keep us going. Today I need to bake a cake for Emma’s birthday. We have organised a great party for her, but that’s clearly not going to happen. But we did find a workaround, because that’s what we do these days. It is the reality, not a freaking dream, and we’ve got to make it work. Somehow. ❤️
Not the most cheerful post, but we’re all allowed less cheerful days.
My heart goes out for those who lost so much - important exams, jobs, dreams they’ve worked on, businesses they built over years, and sadly even dear ones lost to the virus. ❤️ Somehow some of these will hopefully be fixed. The list of cancelled events, holidays, adventures, weddings is getting longer and makes me so sad. Some of them are only postponed, but it’s still hard.
Feels so selfish to complain about smaller insignificant things. Feels so selfish to complain about how hard it is to work from home, about what a challenge it is to be locked in with our family. But that is some people’s reality and this is not easy for anyone. We’re still trying to get into a routine and still experimenting different approaches. We finally arranged sort of a proper office space us to work and Ariana to do some learning alongside, and hide away from Emma. 😂 She already joined last week some Teams meetings where other participants had children on their laps as well. It’s a new reality and nobody expects things to be perfect, people are getting more laid back and flexible. Maybe it’s a good lesson for us all, learning to become less perfectionists and more understanding.
I was absolutely amazed how quickly business continuity plans were put in place and how smoothly the transition has been for many. It came as sort of a surprise to find out that I am actually a key worker and my employer is a critical business. Still, feels like we are completely insignificant compared to the absolute superstars who are the NHS workers. Buy hey, people in. this world need their IT sorted as well.
First week of homeschooling went quite well, probably mostly because we had no intention or expectations. We tried to do something each day, and Ariana was happy to spend some random time next to me while I was working, and do some of her school stuff independently and ask for the occasional help. I felt it was the right approach for her and allowed all of us to adjust. And anyway, I would not have the time for a completely structured school day, and nor would I want to do that. I will however try to follow the school guidelines and make sure we cover as much as we can of the learning being sent home. Can’t imagine how parents who have more than one child at school manage this whole homeschooling business. Apart from attempting to work and learn, we had a lot of fun activities which really helped transitioning into this crazy new way of living. Things like creating rainbows, make some art with hand and footprints (at some point it became quite messy and felt like wasn’t the best idea, but then again, clean houses are overrated), putting up the greenhouse and sowing seeds, having a movie night with popcorn, eating lunch outside, going out cycling or running, painting nails, doing online dance class. For this week we made a list of fun things to do and stuck it on the fridge, but it’s already Friday and haven’t ticked many. There’s no pressure, the girls are happily playing together and not complaining yet.
These days I am struggling a bit, as I have done each beginning of April over the last 7 years. On 3rd April 2013 I lost my Dad, and his funeral was on 5th April. That is how it works in Romania, funerals follow very quickly, allowing very little time to the family to get hold of reality. I had so much to sort out on those couple of days, and I barely remember anything.. But I remember how I couldn’t find my Dad’s birth certificate - instead I found a short poem he wrote when he was at university (he was studying science so not by far a poet!). It is hard to translate, but the idea is around the concept ‘I keep writing, just in case ink turns to water, as I know sooner or later I’ll be gone’. It was as if he wanted me to find it and we have later arranged for it to be engraved on his tombstone.
Few years later, on 5th April 2016 Emma was being born - 8 days later than her due date. It felt like the universe tried to make up to me on that particular day. She has indeed fixed everything and brought so much happiness and joy into our lives each day.
I certainly hope the universe will make it up for these crazy times as well. But even in hard times we can manage to find things to keep us going. Today I need to bake a cake for Emma’s birthday. We have organised a great party for her, but that’s clearly not going to happen. But we did find a workaround, because that’s what we do these days. It is the reality, not a freaking dream, and we’ve got to make it work. Somehow. ❤️
Not the most cheerful post, but we’re all allowed less cheerful days.
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