Parenting During a Pandemic

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Parenting During a Pandemic

Prepared by Josephine Scavuzzo

Some days it feels as though we have been locked down in this house for an eternity. There are times when there doesn’t seem to be enough space within these four walls. I often wish that I could escape from my thoughts, stop working from home, wear something other than sweats, or go out for dinner with friends. I know what you’re thinking, #firstworldproblems and I don’t disagree. I recognize that I have the privilege to openly discuss these feelings. The tweet by @Damian_Barr encapsulates my thoughts, “We are not all in the same boat. We are all in the same storm. Some are on super-yachts. Some have just the one oar.”

While I am working from home as a teacher, I am also parenting my son. I am trying to balance the needs of my own family and consider what is necessary and appropriate for my students. To be honest, being a parent is the hardest job that I have ever done. Yes, I chose the "Mom Life", but it is certainly a challenge. When you factor in the last few weeks of life at home, a new normal has emerged. I’m not sure how I feel about it just yet.

 My son has always been intelligent, sensitive, kind, and independent. But, over the past 10 weeks, I have seen him change. He’s lost some of his innocence during this pandemic. The world is not so magical anymore. It’s now a deadly and scary place. His emotions are raw, his patterns of sleep have been interrupted, and he’s foraging for snacks all day long. Although I have tried to shield him from the constant news reports and conversations about COVID-19 around the dinner table, it is almost impossible to avoid. We are immersed in fear, negativity, and worry all day long. I can’t get a break from my own doom and gloom thoughts about the future. I have always been a worrier, but that trait is exacerbated by the current state of affairs in our world.


I try to reassure my son that our family will make it through this pandemic. I hug him every chance that I get. I purposefully create opportunities for happy memories-we camp out overnight in the living room, read by flashlight, and make s’mores. We established new daily routines, which include physical movement to keep our energy levels up. In order to model responsible behaviour, I limit my excursions from the house, making sure that I wear a mask and gloves. We make a point to wash our hands frequently throughout the day.

There does not appear to be an end in sight so I have to continue to parent with a positive outlook. I have to balance my own emotions and concern in order to guide and support my son. He’s always needed me to be there for him, but now the stakes are higher. The future is uncertain and I’ll just have to live with that.

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