Let’s be honest, this pandemic hasn’t been easy for anyone. We also spent the first half of quarantine with less than desirable weather that truly had us all housebound. Despite that, I think we’ve all found some silver linings with extra time at home, whether it be house projects, catching up with all the binge-worthy shows, or Marie Kondo’ing your house. We’re all finding the things that are bringing a little unexpected happiness into our lives in an otherwise weird and dark time. Here’s where I’ve found my silver linings.
Worth Ethic
We don’t typically get the opportunity to see our partners in action at work. I still can’t tell you what my husband does exactly. However, working from home together has given us both an inside glimpse into a world that was foreign to each other, our work lives. Seeing and hearing each other 24/7 in our professional atmosphere has given us better insight into how passionate we both are in our careers. We’ve gotten to witness just how valuable we are in our roles and to our teams. It’s also funny to watch how our personalities shift for work. I personally had no idea I was married to the “let’s take this offline” guy. Realizing our work ethic, knowing how much we accomplish in a workday, and simultaneously balancing home life brings on a new appreciation for how much we do.
Priceless Moments
Let’s face it, spending 24/7 together as a family can be challenging. For us, it’s been hard managing work and a 10-month old with no respite, but do you know what’s been amazing? Watching our baby hit all her milestones, teaching her funny faces and sounds, getting to eat all our meals together and laughing all the time. Moments like these are typically lost to most of us working parents. Milestones tend to happen at daycare and meals go by quickly or are typically on the go. Getting the time to slow down and really enjoy our family has been priceless. We have more gray hair, we’re a little heavier, and drastically more tired at the end of our days but getting the opportunity to watch our baby grow up and our family blossom has been a joy.
Daddy’s Girl
As a mom, you typically become the default parent with your kids. Dressing, preparing food, feeding, pick-up/drop off, diaper inventory, milk supplier, queen of the laundry, you know the list goes on. Now that my husband is home all day with us, these everyday responsibilities have become more evenly distributed between us. With my husband now more involved with daytime routines, naptime, and feeding her, I’ve watched a daddy-daughter relationship flourish. It’s comical to watch him struggle with picking out outfits or figuring out what’s for breakfast or snack time. Watching them together reminds me that this time is vital for building the foundation for our relationship with her.
In It Together
Some days are a real struggle for me both personally and professionally. I have days where I never get out of my pajamas, the conference calls never end and the house never gets cleaned. The mom guilt hits me too, realizing that I may not be stimulating my baby as much as she needs right now. What has been comforting is knowing that I’m not in it alone in the struggle. My husband is right there next to me trying to manage his day and struggling with dad guilt too. We’re there for each other right now and it’s a nice realization that I picked a good one. It also makes our nightly wine on the porch ritual that much better when you have someone to decompress with.
This time together has made me a little crazier but I’m truly grateful for my family, our health, our safety, and the silver linings.
