You know you all have asked yourselves this question...probably more than once during this quarantine. Kind of a similar feeling to those days between Christmas and New Years when no rules apply and sense of time becomes totally warped? We are now living in an age where the rules of our new normal strongly resemble what is considered "ok" when traveling in an airport [ironic huh?]. Breakfast cocktails? Sure...why not. iPad's for kids? heck yes. Pajamas all day? of course, who are you trying to impress? And the list goes on.
While being largely confined to four walls...despite the thrilling trips to the backyard...it can quickly become easy to start complaining.
...I want to just get on with my life...this is miserable
...I hate being stuck inside all day
...I wish I could go sit on a beautiful patio somewhere and order a cocktail
...I wish I could take the kids to some real activities
...This quarantine is ridiculous...we have to get on with our lives
These are most likely some of the thoughts that have rolled through your mind...I know that because they have gone through mine.
In this post, I am going to share a list of suggestions that help keep the day as close to normal as possible and aid in the passage of time. While reading this, we must continue to remind ourselves that this quarantine is a moment in time...it will end...and while we are home complaining about being confined for a few weeks, our frontline workers are working tirelessly around the clock to recreate the safe and healthy world we are accustomed to. So let's make their jobs as easy as they can possibly be [not an easy feat for them right now] and try some of the suggestions below so that you can all continue to STAY FREAKING HOME...talking to you Gen Z.
1. Routine
As humans...we are routine driven. Having some sort of daily framework is how we get through the day. Pre-COVID, this would have entailed our morning rituals, followed by work preparation and/or kid preparation, leading into afternoon rituals, falling into post-work/post-school, dinner time, bedtime/evening practice and sleep.
While the actual facets of the day will certainly look different now, it does not mean a new routine cannot be derived to keep structure to the day. Without routine, time slows and it gives the opportunity to start feeing cabin fever.
Mamas...now more than ever it is important for you to carve out some time for yourself. My daily routine starts early. I wake up 90 minutes before the rest of the house so I can sit on the couch, watch dumb TV and drink my coffee. I feed off these early morning hours when it is still dark and all the boys are asleep. It is my opportunity to relax and slowly ease into the day.
If you are not a morning person, find another time of day that is your favorite and carve out an hour just for yourself.
This is our new week-day routine:
a. Axel has breakfast/plays with his toys for the first hour or so of the day.
b. After breakfast/play, I pack up both boys and take them for a very socially distant walk outside. It is so so so important to get fresh air while still complying with quarantine rules. You don't have to be anywhere near other people or in public shared space to accomplish this.
c. When we get back from our walk, it is usually time for me to feed Beckham. During this time I give Axel a snack and put on one of his learning TV shows so that I can keep him still while I feed Beckham. Little Baby Bum Learning Songs on Netflix is amazing. My kid is not even 2 yet and knows the colors of the rainbow, a few numbers, several shapes and a significant amount of his alphabet. This is a guilt free TV option when you have to keep the toddlers planted.
d. When Beckham is done eating, I take Axel with me to the laundry room to "help me" fold and switch loads. Believe it or not the kid is actually helpful lol. He switches the wet clothes into the dryer for me and he KNOWS HOW TO ACTUALLY START THE DRYER lol. I literally tell him to go turn it on and he does it perfectly...it's hilarious.
e. Workout time. I am still limited to the type and duration of workouts I can do since I am just shy of 3 weeks PP, but I get at least 20 minutes in everyday for my sanity. The boys come down to the workout room with me and Beckham just chills while Axel does his version of pull-ups and pushups. For real when we walk into the room he points to the pull-up bar, reaches and says "pull-up" ... he's quite the entertainer.
f. Shower with an audience. This is my 90 second shower allotment time. I give Axel a bunch of empty shampoo/toiletry bottles I have saved and he opens and closes them over and over again while I shower.
g. Cooking time. Around this time we are close to Axel's lunch so I have been coming up with different healthy baking/cooking ideas that he can help me with in the kitchen. He has become quite the pro with pouring contents from the measuring cups into the mixer and then licking everything clean lol.
h. After Axel's lunchtime he goes down for his nap around 11:30/11:45ish. He sleeps until about 1:30/2ish so during this time I get in Beckham snuggles and get stuff done around the house.
i. When Axel wakes up from his nap we migrate over to my mom's for a change of scenery. My mom has been in quarantine and so have we so she is part of our social distancing circle. This part of the day keeps me sane. I get to go to a different environment that is totally safe from COVID and 100% setup for my kids. Honestly this is what keeps Axel from going stir crazy. He gets so excited to go to Mimi's house. The second we turn onto her street, he loses his mind with excitement. I usually stay there through Axel's dinnertime before going home...this way Jordan has some quiet in the house while he has afternoon meetings.
***Shoutout to my mama for being the absolute best on the planet. She lets me come with my wild tribe of boys and totally destroy the place every single day. I am not kidding when I say destroy. The MOMENT Axel walks into her house he immediately goes to his toy kitchen, empties all the toy food onto the floor...then goes into the real kitchen and empties all the contents from his designated drawer. The kid cannot stand any kind of order apparently lol.
j. We get home around 5:30 when Jordan is off from work. Weather permitting we take another socially distant walk as a family to get Axe man some extra outdoor exercise.
k. Axel's bath time at 6 and then FINALLY BEDTIME at 6:45/7. You know you all kind of look forward to the kids' bedtimes. Don't lie :)
This is a rough description of what our days look like now. While it is certainly significantly less exciting than what they used to look like, it is a routine and routine will get us through this.
2. Stay healthy
It is so important to not treat your body like we do during those days between the holidays :). Continue with a healthy eating routine, limit alcohol consumption and workout! You want to keep your body at top notch functioning during this time. There is enough stress and anxiety happening already...don't contribute to it by letting your health go down the drain.
a. Try new recipes. This has been a very successful way to get Axel involved in an activity while stuck at home.
b. Set aside at least 20 minutes a day to workout. Whether that be a run/walk outside, on a treadmill or a weight/body lifting routine. Being cooped up can quickly create opportunity to become very sedentary...don't let that happen. I have an infant and a toddler and am still able to get in a 20-30 minute workout each morning WITH both of my children in the room. If that can be done, anyone can make it happen.
c. Limit alcohol consumption. I know...you're like "are you kidding me right now?" I am not kidding you. While there is nothing wrong with a glass of wine in the evenings, do you best to limit it to that. Day drinking/drinking in excess in the evenings is a really quick way to become unhealthy, create bad habits and increase feelings of anxiety/depression. If you want to have a cocktail in the evening there is nothing wrong with that, but maintain your self awareness and monitor consumption.
3. Help when you can and when it's safe.
Helping other people makes you feel good. If you have elderly individuals in your neighborhood or those with other medical conditions, offer to get them groceries when you make your hazmat suited visit to the store. We have done this for our neighbors and it makes you feel useful during a time when it is easy to feel useless.
4. Take a break from the news.
Put on some stupid TV or better yet, turn the TV off! We get it...there is a pandemic happening...but you are allowed to take a break from that for a few hours a day and focus on something mindless or nothing at all!
5. Connect with friends and family.
We may not be able to see these individuals physically, but this is why FaceTime exists! I had a 40 minute FT call with my best friend of 22 years the other night after the kiddos were asleep...and let me tell you...it made my day. Totally changed my mood and outlook. Highly suggest!
6. One day at a time.
Do not go down the rabbit hole. It is easy to start thinking that this could go on forever since the end is so unknown. This will not go on forever. There will be an end. We don't know when that is yet so instead of focusing on the big picture, take it day by day. There was a meme on IG that really put things in perspective. Here it is:
"To put things in perspective for those of us feeling a bit stir crazy already. Anne Frank and 7 other people hid in a 450 sq. ft attic for 761 days, quietly trying to remain undiscovered to stay alive. We can all do our part to keep everyone safe and spend a few weeks at home."
If that doesn't put things in perspective for you...absolutely nothing will.
So my fellow followers...do your part...find ways to cope through the quarantine...and follow the freaking rules. If we can all do what we are supposed to do, this will end sooner. STAY HOME. Over and out...or shall I say, over and in?
Pictured below: The Axe man "helping" me make cookies for his daddy. Aka mom rolling the dough as quickly as possible before Axel eats it all :)
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