Motherhood and Mt. Dew
Week 17: In the final installment, a grateful look back.
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I came back from maternity leave on February 28. Exactly one week later, my 6-month old got the flu. Two days later, my husband and I were down for the count. Four days after that, Verizon put its work-from-home strategy in place. So, here we are in Week 17 of working at home with my husband, nearly 3-year-old daughter and now 9-month-old son.
I started a running list of the funny things that happen around here throughout the day, in hopes that one day I’ll look back at them and laugh. And, I’m sharing them here, and inviting you to do the same.
This isn’t advice. Trying to work at home and be present for your family is tough. I’m not making any claims that I have it figured out. I also know there are lots of people out there who are in more challenging situations than we are right now. But, if you do find yourself in mine, I invite you to laugh at the crazy that’s happening at my house, and share your own.
As for the title of this little blog, I sneak down to the kitchen around 3 PM every day and take a few swigs of my favorite, terrible-for-you soft drink. Hey, whatever helps you get through, right?
Week 16/17
Well, V Team, I think the time has come. It’s time to put this little blog to bed (and hopefully without the delays and protests that generally accompany bedtime at this house).
When I started this nearly four months ago, I didn’t imagine that we’d still find ourselves in this position now. But, here we are. With childcare and camps beginning to open up, we, like many of you, are faced with tough decisions, and trying to balance the desire to keep kids safe, while wanting to give them the socialization and time with their peers they’ve been without all this time. There’s no precedent here, and that’s hard. If you’re struggling with that decision, I hear you.
But, more importantly, I want to thank you for reading this, reaching out to me personally and leaving comments here. Sharing my stories has helped keep things in perspective, and attempt to maintain a sense of humor about it all. I hope it’s done the same for you, and created, at least digitally, a little sense of community among V Team parents.
You’ve answered burning questions like “Is it the quarantine or is my toddler just weird?” (Answer: toddlers are just weird). Given me suggestions that have gotten me through many conference calls, video meetings and long days. I’m grateful for all of it.
A fellow employee who reached out to me said, “I know for every laugh line, you’ve felt like cursing 100 times.” That’s true. (But my daughter repeats literally everything we say, so we’re trying to keep that to a minimum.) But there have been some really joyful moments that I might not have had if we hadn’t been stuck at home together 24/7 for the past few months.
Nightly walks as a family just to get ourselves out of the house.
Too many PB&J sandwiches paired with Up To Speed viewings to count.
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