Mom Blog: Coronavirus-Induced, Quality Time with Family

If there is ever a time where I wish my mobile phone would die and never resurrect, it would be now.

Everyday there is news of Coronavirus here, there and pretty much everywhere. I’m in groups for tracking information and groups for sharing kid-friendly activities for being cooped up indoors. Even our normal parent support group has also been infected with influxes of new virus intel.

For sure, it is important to be informed, but after the 5th day of getting anxious due to every scrap piece of news, I began tuning things out and scrolling to see if the information was verified and from a reliable source. I also try to keep my news sources to local media apps to gain the latest government ordinances for Shanghai and the nearby province of Zhejiang where our nanny went to spend her Lunar New Year holiday.

Thanks to the delayed work start date, I have managed to catch up on all the activities I usually miss out on during weekdays as I am a working mom. My daughter and I have finger painted, created a DIY art sculpture, done yoga at home, stacked our reserve beer and Coca Cola cans, and made play dough. I have even resurrected my cooking skills to make some nice meals for the family. Hell, I even found a way to make Marie Kondo fun for my kid— to which I found out that aside from shredding paper my daughter also enjoys rolling around in said shredded paper; FYI she is 22 months old – I on the other hand have no excuse.

I must admit, when the news officially broke out about the virus, I was glued to the TV and voraciously checking all my group chats for the latest information. But having too much information can be a bad thing.

-- Yes, there is this virus out there.

-- Yes, it is highly contagious.

-- Yes, we should wear masks (except the little one adamantly refuses to wear hers)

This is the only time she wore her mask and kept it on-for a full 10minutes.

We hear stories of who got infected and how, but, does that mean staying at home and living (waiting) in fear for the possibilities? Why trigger anxiety fuelled by preventing a negative possibility, when we can instead focus on all the things we can do in the meantime?

With everyone talking about cancelled flights, suspended schools, and office closures, we also need to look at things positively. This time at home gives us working parents the opportunity to indulge in being a parent, meaning living and being in the present. These last few days have been refreshing for my husband and I. We have not has to worry about being late to leave the house because our baby wants us to play, or feeling torn between getting extra time as a family in the evening and needing to rush off for a conference call, or media event.

During this elongated “holiday”, I was able to take my husband to visit Sams Club and we were able to pick toys for our kiddo. We even managed to make it to Costco and am planning a trip to Ikea for a toddler bed (if, and when, they open again). For once, a bad situation brought me a rare opportunity to enjoy every single second I have at home with my mini me; before things return to normal that is. Yes, I am still a tired wreck from simultaneously doing the cleaning, cooking, feeding, napping, meal planning, picking up after our daughter and writing - but at least I am living in the glorious present.