When the world stood still.
In the bubble with our babies. Tiffany Matthews
Well here we all are. As I am writing this, a quarter of the world’s population are on lockdown. Cities are empty, parks are silent, and shops are dark. The eery calm affecting so many different countries and tying us all together to face the same enemy. Something that has really struck me over the last few days is that we are currently living in a place of contradiction and opposites. The somewhat calmer and quieter outside contrasting with the inner four walls of chaos within our house. Our very own little ‘bubble’.
Our Bubble
Although this bubble seems so far and distant from the outside world, which has a surreal calmness about it at the same time. Then the more manic workplaces under heightened stress, (mainly hospitals and supermarkets) compared with the emptiness and darkness of others….. the offices with the empty chairs and the schools with some empty classrooms. Whilst it seems so little is going on in some places, others are busier than they have ever been. It is difficult to describe the contrast in this current world of extremes.
Realisation
There have been many times in the last week I have woken in the morning and then remembered the uncertain situation we are all in. I’m sure it is the same for so many of you. The reminder that work/our businesses are currently closed, that our children will not be going to school or nursery and the worry of any family or friends getting ill. I have decided it is a roller coaster of emotions. Some days you feel like you can take on the world and other days you just can’t put your finger on what is on your mind. The cycle is endless!
Juggling
It is an uncertain time for us all. As parents we can take solace together knowing that we are all in the same boat……. the boat that involves taking on so many different roles and juggling even more than we thought we did before. And at the same time hide any concern we have from the little ones we love the most…… the ones that ask lots of questions about the new situation they are finding themselves in.
Routine
I have learnt that I am a creature of routine, who likes a timetable! With all this obliterated, it is no surprise that some of us parents can feel like we are in hiatus. We are used to tiredness. We are used to the chaos of the week… Monday is Rainbows, Wednesday is gymnastics, Thursday swimming and Friday is school dress up……..the list goes on. We are packing lunches, school bags, swimming kits, and rushing around in between working like headless chickens. However, this is all okay as we have our ‘routine’ and get on with it as best we can each day. But when this routine goes out the window…..oh dear! I’m not even sure what day it is!
It kind of feels like that bit of blur between Christmas and New Year, but much longer. We are trying to run businesses online/work from home, along with being the cooks and cleaners that we always were and then the biggest role of all…..teachers.
Teachers
I bet there are many of us that thought teachers were amazing before, but now……they are up there with the Gods! Whilst we all try and fit a bit of maths in, a bit of reading in, playing in the garden and crafting ourselves silly, we are very thankful for what teachers do for our children. It’s so nice as a parent to see them painting, watering the sunflowers they are growing and, of course, them helping you as you live stream your own dance classes in the living room, but my goodness it is exhausting! And that’s just from the minute by minute snacking that seems to go on. As they bounce outside on the trampoline, laughing together, knowing things are not the same right now, they are happy doing what they do best….playing.
We must remember as parents to just do our best and enjoy the time we have together, however hard it is when you are juggling so many plates all at one time.
Reflection
This is a time for reflection. Maybe nature is telling everyone to stop. Stand and take a breath. Look at the busy chaos of our lives and the materialistic way we are all living. It is stripping things right back for us to see what is right in front of us… our families. Our friends. Others we should be helping. This has the ability to bring the best, or the worst out in us. But we must not lose sense of humanity ever. Staying at home seems a very little ask to me. Let’s do it for our families. Let’s do it for others.
We must be grateful. We must be calm. We must be patient. We must wait. We are all in this together.
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