The way I see it, being a mom in a pandemic, you deserve a standing ovation. You’re doing enough of the things to keep the kids on somewhat on track with their schoolwork at home. You’re trying to keep up with work responsibilities from home. You’ve been cut off from your friends and family. You’re facing an international crisis like we’ve never experienced in history. YOU DESERVE A MEDAL OF HONOR!
Making decisions about whether to send your kids to school, to home-school, or to create a pod classroom experience for your kids is a whole new territory. The anguish of whether to allow your child to participate in sports or to keep them out, is something like the wild wild west of mothering. It’s uncharted waters. Who knows what’s how things will turn out for us and for our kids?
Maybe you don’t feel like you deserve any honors. Maybe you think I’m just saying that because I haven’t heard you yelling at your kids or seen you crying over the piled up laundry. Maybe you think you’re failing.
I have news for you. You’re doing the best you can and no one has had to do this before now. Not like this. This is something that you can’t go to your mom and ask how she handled it way back when. There’s no one who has been through this in previous generations to help guide you through it now.
Somehow, in the middle of it all, you found it within yourself to take your kids out for a walk. You found the motivation to put hearts on your door and bears in your windows. Some of you even drew inspiring messages on your sidewalks with chalk. You are not only doing it, you’re going above and beyond. Here’s the thing, just getting through the basics is something you can be proud of right now.
I stand by what I said. YOU DESERVE A MEDAL OF HONOR.
The basic principles of raising kids haven’t changed. Your kids still need loving connection and firm boundaries. They still need you to see things from their perspective and to help them problem solve from your perspective. They need you to understand and care about their feelings, their confusion, their fear, their joy and exuberance. You’re doing those things when you can find it within yourself.
Take a moment and celebrate all the things you’ve done all along that work the same now as always. Just like it always has, that bedtime routine provides your child a sense of comfort. That little smile you give them when you see them being kind to someone encourages them. The way you listen to their goofy noises and play along with them, eases their stress. The way you always say no to throwing the ball in the house provides healthy boundaries. You’ve got this. You are MOM! That’s a pretty special role in a child’s life.
Being a mom during a global pandemic is hard. Look at you doing it. Congratulations!