written by Brian Ruch
My company had not shifted to a work at home schedule yet and I felt I was missing out on family time. Emily was able to shift her schedule to work at home an also teach Nora (7) school while keeping Eliza (3) occupied so it was productive. We have evening meetings, Nora’s dance 3 days a week, sometimes weekday church services, choir rehearsal which takes Emily away from the family, and probably a few more things that make our weeks seem so busy. We are eating on the run, going out a few times, and sometimes only 1 parent home for bedtime with the kids. It was stressful at times so this time of quarantine has given us more time with the family. There are times where that can seem like too much time together so we are grateful that the weather is warming up and they can play outside and use their imagination together. They girls are able to play with our neighbor Henry (5) across the street and one of the first nice days, they were playing Rock, Paper, Scissors with him. They would do their selection and then shout, “What did you get?” and it was so cute. They don’t seem to be anxious or probably really understand why our lives have changed but are cherishing the extra sister and family time. It is in these times that we need to take a break from the news and just focus on the family and see life through the eyes of a child.
We go on walks and they just run down the sidewalk without any cares. If they trip and hurt themselves, we are there to pick them up and then they bounce back and keep running. The world is not falling down around them when there are little trip-ups in life. They know they have a safe home and loving parents and to someone that young, what else is there to want or need – except cookies after dinner! They have seen the flowers starting to bloom, birds returning to the area, and squirrels running around outside so they are enjoying watching Spring emerge from the cold of Winter. It is very symbolic of the Resurrection and the season of Easter where there is new life and they don’t even realize that is what they are seeing. It is up to us as parents to point these things out and continue to watch church on TV – they think that is pretty cool! Our beagle Rowdy even came downstairs one week – instead of sleeping upstairs – and “came to church” with us. (He still slept on the couch but the girls got a good laugh that he was at church) They get dressed up in nice dresses and go through the normal routine so they are adaptable. With patience, we can all get through this.
– Brian, Emily, Nora, Eliza, baby boy, and Rowdy Ruch