If you’d asked me to list my top three pet peeves a month ago, you’d have gotten a very different list. But this is where I’m at now…
1) Feeling both overwhelmed AND bored. At the same time. At all times.
My day begins with three hours of working remotely. And most days, that’s not enough time to get the job done, which leaves me feeling…spazzy… for several hours after. And during that time, I also encourage my girl to start her school work, which she’s not always able (read: willing) to do without guidance. So when I’m done working, an hour or two or three of being a teacher begins.
I prepare eleventy bajillion snacks and meals daily. And pick up twice as many toys/messes.
I do my best to keep my girl connected to school, teams, and friends…. Taught her how to use Microsoft Teams, encourage her to video chat with friends, got her tablet set up with the various apps—and there seems to be a new one added at least weekly—our district is relying on for “distance learning,” and staying on top of all the email updates from teachers and coaches. Which reminds me. I still have to Venmo her dance teacher for the Zoom dance classes.
And when all this is done, we’ve got HOURS left in our day to decompress, though it never seems to be enough time.
At 8pm, we head outside for “bell time.” (Town-wide, people are encouraged to ring bells or otherwise make noise from 8:00 to 8:02 as a show of solidarity in this social distancing era.) And while we play our musical instruments, for lack of bells, my girl dances and I silently think, “One day closer to normalcy.”
After our girl is in bed, it’s time for dishes, laundry, picking up toys (again), and cuddling up with hubby on the couch. By this time of night, I’m ready for a giant glass of wine as a remedy for the anxiety that’s built up all day.
Rinse and repeat.
2) Having to repeat myself.
Here’s a smattering of the phrases I catch myself uttering multiple times per day, every day day…
– “Just because we’re home doesn’t mean you don’t have to brush your hair.”
– “I said ONE snack.”
– “No, it’s not lunch time. You JUST finished breakfast!”
– “3:00 is NOT dinnertime.”
– “Turn off the tablet!”
– “C’mon, we have to get this school packet done before we go outside.”
– “If you want to play outside, you need to put on actual clothes. Not pajamas.”
3) People who don’t stay home.
I’m following the rules. Other than outdoor time in our yard and walks around the block, my girl and I have left the house exactly once in the past three weeks. And that was to take part in a birthday parade for my cousin’s twins, which didn’t require us to get out of the car. Hubby goes to work and occasionally the grocery store. That’s it. If everyone did the same, we’d all be able to get back to life as we knew it sooner.
WHATEVS... 