Just Chillin’

I’m home, like I am every day because I’m unemployed, but now I have visitors in my weekday spaces. The visitors are my wife and daughter. I love them to death, but I am used to having my own space during the week. Even if I’m not really doing anything good with my time, it’s mine. Now, however, I am looking forward to having them at home with me for maybe the next month or more.

Now, I don’t want to characterize this as an invasion of any sort. There are wonderful things about having them home. We all get to play and work together outside (in our own yard). We’re finally planting that garden we’ve been talking about for years. I get to act like a kid with my daughter instead of being all serious and stressed about looking for a job. My wife is also splitting some chores with me that are usually mostly my responsibility, even though she still has work to do for her teaching job. I now have more time to sit and think about life, in the time I am taking for myself.

Taking time for myself is a new challenge for me. When they’re both home, and when times are normal, I am usually catering to their needs. I may have to run errands for my wife and make phone calls during the day while she can’t. Or I would need to go to the store to pick up some things for a dinner I’m planning for in advance. I would pick up my kid from school, bring her home, feed her and prod her to do her homework. Make dinner, wash dishes, get the child to bed. Rinse and repeat.

Fortunately, we decided to stock up with food and necessities 2 or 3 weeks in advance, with one last shopping trip for some perishables before California went on lock-down. We’re set for a while. So since we don’t have any errands to run, we are around each other 24/7 almost.

We can’t even set up any play-dates for our 2nd grader, which is sad. We saw her friends behind our house the other day, and they really really wanted to play. My wife and I had already decided that after the library trip with them last weekend that we should just let them be after that. Their mom is also a health care professional and knows what this coronavirus can do, and she was in agreement with us that the social distancing between the kids is so important as to not spread the virus.

So here we are… at home together. There are times of the day where we separate ourselves into 3 different rooms. I am finally able to do something for myself today, writing this blog post. My kid just came in to ask me if she could do some math on the tablet. I am saying “no” a lot to this kind of request because I don’t want her spending all day on a screen. She doesn’t think it’s fair that I get to be on the computer for a while, when she has to be doing something else on her own, like her math homework. She just came in here again, so I let her stay as long as she doesn’t talk to me. So far, so good.

Taking time for myself is so important. I just tell them that I’m going to my room, I bring the laptop with me, and let the chips fall where they may. I know, and my wife knows, that I won’t be in here all day. And that this will keep me sane in the long run. I also have my side computer gig to keep me busy, but I have yet to get my head around it since the pandemic was taking off.

Everyone stay safe and keep up with the social distancing. It’s extremely important. Even if you’re not feeling sick, you could be a carrier. You could have it for 2 weeks or so without knowing it. This coronavirus is extremely transmittable, and humans have no immunity toward it. We especially don’t want to transmit it to our older family, friends and neighbors.

Disinfect your surfaces.
Wash your hands really well, several times a day.
Stay away from others.
Isolate.