Updated: May 22, 2020
Originally Published: May 21, 2020
For over two months now, my family—my partner and our two young boys—have been cooped up at home. Thankfully, we can both work remotely, which is a blessing, though juggling childcare with daycare closures has been nothing short of tricky. We’ve been taking turns looking after the kids while still meeting work deadlines and attending crucial conference calls.
We’ve resorted to having groceries and our beloved Friday night pizza delivered, along with essentials from various online stores. When the weather permits, we enjoy the outdoors in our yard (thank goodness for those sunny days!). On rainy days, we play games, dive into books, tackle simple craft projects, construct couch-cushion forts, and, admittedly, spend more time on screens than I’d like to admit.
Most days, I’ve been managing okay—not fantastic, but okay. I’ve shed a few tears, especially when watching commercials honoring essential workers or when firetrucks parade past our house, responding to a socially distanced birthday celebration for a child. We miss our friends and family, the events we took for granted, and all the little “normal” things in life. Yet, in the grand scheme of things, we’re fortunate—food on the table, a roof over our heads, and good health.
However, on a recent sunny afternoon, COVID-19 finally got to me. My partner was gearing up to take the boys for a walk around the block—socks, shoes, sweatshirts, and, of course, masks. Watching him put a mask on our cheerful three-year-old was the breaking point. Tears welled in my eyes, and as my partner looked over at me, initially puzzled, he quickly grasped the situation as I whispered, “I need you to take them.” He hurried the boys outside, and I crumbled, my quiet tears morphing into heavy sobs—the kind that seem to have been pent-up for ages.
I can’t stand the masks.
I detest seeing people out and about wearing them. I can’t stand the half-hidden faces in social media posts. And watching my children wear them? That’s the worst.
I loathe the masks because they remind me of hospitals and the fragility of life. They make it difficult to accept that my boys might have to return to daycare with their teachers masked up. The crocodile-print mask that moved me to tears was crafted by my cousin, a Broadway costume designer currently out of work.
These masks symbolize all the activities we can no longer enjoy—visiting family, catching baseball games, playing at the park, dining out. They remind me of the reality that we could get ill. I’m overwhelmed with uncertainty about how long this will last; it feels like we have more questions than answers.
But I don’t want my boys to share my disdain for masks. I quickly got them out the door, not because I was hiding my tears—they’ve seen me cry before, sparking meaningful conversations about the virus and how fortunate we are to have heroes keeping us safe. I don’t want them to view masks negatively; they’re essential and can save lives.
While they may represent the things we can’t do right now, they also play a role in helping us regain our freedom and inch back toward normalcy, even if it’s a new normal that looks a bit different. So, while I may despise them, we’ll wear them. Luckily, to my three- and five-year-old boys, masks are still a bit of fun—for now, at least.
For more insights about parenting during these challenging times, check out this article on parenting strategies at Home Insemination Kit. If you’re looking for information on home insemination, Cryobaby’s at-home insemination kit is a great resource. Additionally, for guidance on fertility treatments, March of Dimes offers excellent information.
In summary, navigating life during a pandemic is tough, and the emotional weight of masks can be overwhelming. Yet, we must find ways to cope, ensuring our children understand the importance of safety without instilling fear.
Keyphrase: masks during COVID-19
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