The last couple weeks have been a blur and blitz of “homeschooling” and zoom calls. We’re beginning to feel our new normal. For the most part, we have the day to day routine down. We’re homeschzooming with realistic expectations like zoom preschool circle time and read aloud time (awesome!), some experimental parent teaching and basically more screen time. So maybe we forgot to brush our teeth or change our clothes and maybe missed a meal but hey this is our new normal (!!).

Image of Collin on the couch on his zoom preschool read aloud circle time. He’s smiling and also got legos and a rat stuffed animal around him. 

Highlight: Social distancing is very different for intergenerational households. It is isolation in a different way because there is actually a lot of human contact within our unit. I thought our 6 month sabbatical in Vietnam was a lot of family time but wow now there is a lot of family time and definitely a LOT of baba time. It’s been beautiful (and stressful). These times will be cherished and remembered for sure.

Challenge: Collin is very aware of the impact of COVID-19, maybe a bit too much. On week one, we attempted to do a family walk around Lake Merritt, one of his favorite activities. He really wanted to go to the playground but the minute I hinted that there might be a lot of people, he screamed, “I’m not going outside until the CoronaVirus is gone!!” I worry what these times will do to the mental health of the little ones. This entire generation will change, we will all change from this. 🙁

First world problems: I got kicked off of my zoom call because we were trying to do 3 zoom calls in the house! Mychi was on a zoom call for work and Collin was on zoom for virtual preschool circle time. Go figure.

As this crisis and pandemic continues to unravel in the coming weeks and months, the deaths and spread will only get worse. We are situating ourselves in our new normal and getting ready for what’s to come. I’ve been on a lot of zoom calls, I mean A LOT. From immediate rapid response and the 2020 election to bold visions and interventions, I’m seeing people on all fronts hold space for people to grieve, respond and dream hella BIG in these times.

How do we fight offense and defense in these times? We need to do both AND have people on different fronts.

With so many who continue to be left out, forgotten and/or become new targets of white supremacy in this moment, how can we be in deeper connection and solidarity with each other?

In these times, I’m reminding myself to be grateful to be able to work from home and to actually have a home. How am I using my privileges to step up my game wherever I can? I also know that things can change at any moment with Mychi’s critical frontline work.

I and we are holding that tension and contradiction but not letting it overpower us. In the meantime, I’m embracing the emotional needs of deeper listening in this moment. I’m enjoying the longer checkins with people and the virtual and experimental happy hours. I’m glad that we are holding space for each other.

And these are hard times but not impossible. Remember to reach out to folks, let people reach out to you. Don’t give up on each other. At the core, it is about offering greater love and mutuality in these times. This was a good reminder from the Highlander folks that mutual aid and community has been going on for hundreds of years.

Like many things, let’s keep our eyes on the prize and keep connecting and practicing as things change day to day.

In our new normal, we’re appreciating our deeper connection. Collin definitely cherishes his daily gardening time with mama; they are planting a lot of seeds (literally and figuratively) every single day.

Since we are indoors most of the day, Collin enjoys time in the garden with Mychi. This is an image of Collin using the hose to water one of the planters in the garden.