Flexibility in quarantine

Last week my partner and I were providing essential childcare to family members who had no other options. We were out of our element, out of our routine, and very much at the whims and demands of a 4 year old who had little regard for our workout, sleep, and Netflix schedules.

As we were preparing for the adventure, I had a lot of questions. How long would we be there? What would our days look like? How much underwear should I bring? Needless to say, neither of us had answers to any of these questions.

We arrived at our new version of our new reality and started immediately providing help where we could - whether it was loading the dishwasher, taking over dinner duty or simply answering an endless string of questions about a broccoli frittata that had ended up on our breakfast plates, we adjusted. 

This brief stint as childcare providers rapidly shifted a few elements of my identity. I am a regimented person. I’ll go out of my way to ensure my newsletter goes out at noon every Wednesday unless it's a holiday or I’m traveling. Vegetables are non-negotiable at every meal. My workout schedule is, even during a pandemic, consistent and predictable. 

A lot of these things were simply less important in the last week or so. I didn't consciously deprioritize them, but providing stability, fun, and mental stimulation to the child who had been entrusted to us was my focus.

My morning content consumption time was replaced with choosing between sparkly pink or electric blue toothpaste and pushing education games instead of mindless TV. My workout time was swapped with perfecting my face painting game. My cooking plans were adjusted to include what a 4 year old may be able to help with, and learn from. 

More than anything these last few days increased my empathy for parents and caretakers. I already logically knew the challenges were greater for those in my life who had others relying on them for safety and security, but spending even just a week and a half in their shoes made me realize how incredible they really are. 

So many things in our life are rigid or uncompromised because we have the freedom for them to be that way. While I'm grateful to safely be back in the comfort of our quarantine zone, I’m impressed by my adaptability and by the way my heart and mind grew to value things other than my own comfort - even if just for a short amount of time. 

Q: What have you grown to be more flexible about these days?

Links I loved this week
 

— 1 — 

Never Have I Ever
Equal parts cute and corny, this Netflix series featuring a teenage Indian girl has made me groan with discomfort, laugh out loud, and forget about my current anxieties. The fact that she grew up in a culture I can relate to makes it that much sweeter to consume.


— 2 —

Racial disparities in the time of Covid-19
New Orleans is a city that lights my heart on fire. This depiction of famed Mardi Gras crew Zulu and how Covid-19 has had an outsized impact on its members was a sobering read.


— 3 —

Carla does tuna salad
It's almost comical at this point how often I've been referring to Bon Appetit in my quarantine cooking regime. They have a way of taking even the simplest of foods to the next level, and this tuna salad recipe is no exception. 

xx,
farah