I almost can’t remember what I would do, pre-pandemic. My mind is running through the streets here in town, trying to picture myself going places. It’s like trying to remember a hazy dream.
Unmasked kids combined with potentially removing face mask requirements one week into the new school year, and you’ve got a perfect storm for worried, anxious parents.
My husband and I spent weeks anticipating drastic layoffs in our hard-hit industries, and we both went through temporary layoffs — all while keeping the kids from finding out. Our finances took a hit since my freelance income evaporated overnight. Homeschooling was ugly across the board, especially when trying to do my own work at the same time. Someone called the police on our children for playing in their own yard with our next-door neighbours “not a full six feet apart.” My anxiety was through the roof. It was a miserable season for all of us.
You will have a special name for it now, as you read this. Was the “before” called Pre-Corona, maybe? BC and AC, for Before Corona and After Corona. Maybe just “pre-2020” or “pre-pandemic.” But when it started, we didn’t know our whole world would change. It was just … early March, 2020.
All they want to do is go outside in the sun and play in the yard, but now they have to wonder if they’re going to see their mom crying because the police have called again?