economy

Covid City 6: Embracing Change

March 18, 2020, 8 am

As it tu­rns out, it is not possible to take care of a 9-month-old, homeschool a preschooler, and also work full-time all from inside the same apartment. Especially when that apartment has only four rooms. Add to this the monumental task of explaining things to a sensitive, smart, anxious four-year-old and then helping him navigate his emotional reaction to it all. Life here in Covid City is intense.

Like many parents, Dave and I went from having 75 hours a week of childcare (L at school 8:15-5:30/6 five days a week, the baby with my in-laws from 9-6 three days a week) to having no back-up at all. M is completely off-the-hook, requiring someone on him every waking moment; literally, if you turn away for a second, he tries to kill himself. I somehow managed to work from our makeshift bedroom office on Monday while Dave kept both kids alive, and poor L was bored, sad, and emotional all day. By mid-afternoon, he broke down crying and demanded my attention (“I need more hugs,” he later said to Dave).

He needs more of a lot of things right now. To make matters harder, the only time Dave and I can plan, prep, and work through how to best provide this support is once L is asleep, which isn’t happening until 9:30/10:00 pm nowadays. And, let’s be honest, whoever is doing bedtime usually falls asleep in L’s bed before we get the chance to talk; L has been having nightmares, M has been teething, and so Dave and I are maybe getting four hours of broken sleep a night. These two kiddos are exhausting.

Shockingly, I did get some work done on Monday. And you know what? It felt completely irrelevant. Why was I writing a biweekly report instead of writing homeschool plans or emails to my loved ones? Why was I confirming advisement calls when we have no idea what next semester will even look like? Another COVID-19 season will arrive before a vaccine has been properly tested and put into place. Society as we know is only going to keep changing.

CUNY, and all other employers, need a long-term plan here, not just some weird attempt to move old routines and expectations from offices into homes. Too many people, higher-ups in particular, are clinging to a model that has quickly become ridiculous. It doesn’t make sense to keep working as usual right now.

I’m personally lucky enough to have some PTO to use for the rest of this week, but even that phrase, “PTO to use,” feels absurd. Hundreds of thousands of people have lost their jobs, to the point that the unemployment website crashed when Dave tried to access it last night (now they’re doing a staggered schedule based on last name, so Dave’s assigned time slot to apply is Thursday morning). Our entire global economy is ready to collapse. Healthcare facilities are overwhelmed as confirmed cases continue to rise. Right now, what matters most to me is not clocking in work hours. Instead I need to focus on taking proper care of these kids, staying connected to my people, and squeezing in self-care as I can, which means writing and meditating because that is how I stay sane.

Also how I stay sane: pointing out the positives, no matter how small they are. Here are some of my positives for you:

  • It is wonderful to not rush around every morning, racing to get everyone dressed, fed, and dropped off so that I can get to the office on time.
  • It is equally wonderful to forgo the mad dash from the office to the subway to L’s school for pick-up by 6 pm.
  • Homeschool is actually fun. I mean, I studied Early Childhood Education and taught preschool for years so that helps. And L is super into learning. But even if those things weren’t true, there’s something special about doing this together.
  • M is nine months old today! And he is trying to talk! Cannot wait to hear what his first word is.
  • These kids eat SO MUCH food. It’s impressive. But also my kitchen is a disaster. But also, that’s okay.
  • The pets are thrilled. They are quite therapeutic, and it’s super sweet to watch them bond with the baby. I love how oblivious those three are.
  • Signs of spring are everywhere. When L spots a dandelion during a dog walk, he gleefully squeals and runs over to pick this weed of a flower then show it off to me with reverence. Adults have strayed way too far from the things that matter.


As crazy as it is to be a parent under quarantine in Covid City, it’s also fun; my adorable little life-suckers provide quite a bit of welcome levity, and they do an excellent job of distracting me from the news. That being said, I don’t think yesterday would have gone as well if we hadn’t implemented a new schedule with multiple activities. I know not every family and kid needs that kind of structure, but if you’re like us, I pasted our adjusted schedule and new ideas for you below. Keep in mind that we don’t intend to do this every day. In fact, L is watching Moana right now.

Parents, whether you’re homeschooling, doing art projects, or watching shows and eating Cheetos all day, you’re a freaking badass. Stay strong.


New Schedule, Adjusted After Homeschool Experiment Day 1, and Very Loosely Interpreted on Day 2
9:00     Family Circle Time: Good morning / Day & Date / Feelings Check-in / Book
9:30     Independent work at dining table (details below)
10:00   Center time: Creative, Science, Math, Library, Music, Computer, or just TV (more below)
10:45   Snack
10:55   Meditation/breathing exercise
11:00   Project Time –“animal of the week” (see below) or a one-off
11:30   Clean Up
11:35   Dance party
11:45   Reading on the couch (L reads a book or sight-word cards)
12:00   Adult does lunch prep while L watched Doodles with Mo Willems (this is great, L likes it)
12:15   Lunch
12:45   Quiet/alone time in room
1:30     Family exercises (see below)
1:45     Nature walk with Basil or watch TV or Center Time Rd 2 (same centers as Rd 1)
2:45     Snack
3:00     Chores
3:30     Meditation/breathing exercise
3:35     Family meeting
3:45     Homeschool ends, turn the TV on and bring me a margarita immediately

Independent Work: High Five puzzle book, math sheets from the web, writing letters in a notebook

Center Ideas & Locations:
-Creative on coffee table: coloring pages, paper and crayons, stickers, cutting things out
-Science on balcony: nature box, planting and watering seeds, dissecting my dead garden, digging in a planter full of dirt, using a magnifying glass to inspect the random things out there
-Math on dining table: addition/subtraction puzzle, counting & sorting items, toy abacus
-Library on couch: Lots of cozy pillows with books and sight-word cards
-Music in living room: play instruments, sing karaoke, pick a record and discuss what instruments you hear

Animal of the week: Choose an animal and throughout the week, watch Nat Geo and Animal Planet videos, makes notes of facts about it, do art projects, listen to songs, “dance” like the animal, discuss what it eats, look at map to see where it lives

This week for us is the octopus: Nat Geo Doc (4 mins), Nat Geo Pics & Facts Slideshow, “Octopus’s Garden” by the Beatles, making octopus tentacles with tissue paper leftover from Xmas, acting like an octopus, finding sets of 8 things around the apartment

Family Exercises: Go Noodle has a lot of options we haven’t explored yet. Yesterday we did this intense video but were terrible at it and laughed a lot, so that was fun.

Covid City 5: Slow Down

March 16, 2020 7:15 am967550910_203cea191b_o
Today is not the day to launch that ambitious homeschool plan. Today is not the day to clock in eight hours from your makeshift bedroom office. Today is not the day to refresh the news every minute and worry over what will happen next.

It has happened. School is canceled. Concerts are canceled. Bars are canceled. Offices are canceled. Normal life as we know it is canceled.

But you know what’s not canceled? Nature, friendship, walks, exercise, meditation, art, books, dancing, singing, loving.

For today, let’s try to process and breathe, to let ourselves settle a little. We’ll figure things out as we go. Perhaps the plans we make will work for us. Perhaps they won’t. But right now, for today, let’s try to relax.

I went on a run yesterday and was reminded of how simple yet powerful running can be. It’s been awhile since I was a regular runner, but last night, I slipped on my old trusty sneakers and ran out the door. At first my thoughts raced in circles, winding through all the disruptions of the past few days, my daunting to-do list, the plethora of unknowns that remain, but the beautiful thing about running is that it eventually takes over. The pounding of my feet, the depth of my breath, the pace of my heart. Every time I run, my body finds its own rhythm that pulls me away from my mind and shuts off my thoughts. Afterwards, I am always refreshed (if also exhausted and sore).

If you can, get outside today (in a safe, socially-distant way, obviously). I have to work most of the day, but at a certain point, I do plan to shut off my computer and phone and go to the beach with my family. We need these escapes, these breaks, these resets. Everything has changed so quickly; it’s time for a collective slow down – of both the virus and ourselves.

To those of you who are differently abled, sick, living alone, or for another reason unable to walk, exercise, get outside, or physically be with your people, I hope you can find other ways to connect. Perhaps sitting by a window to birdwatch will help, or Facetiming with a friend. But to matter what you decide to do, please know I am sending big love.

Because ultimately, that’s what today (dare I say every day?) is all about: love.

Covid City 2: Diaries of a New York During the Coronavirus

3/14/2020 12:05 pm


It’s hitting me now: COVID-19 took my husband’s job! Like everyone else in the entertainment industry, we knew it was coming. And, like everyone else, we also know there’s very little to do about it. Dave and I have some savings. We’re experienced budgeters. I have a reliable job. We’ll be okay. It feels like I shouldn’t be complaining given how much worse it is for others. Still, an indefinite future of two kids on one income feels intense.

Meanwhile, CUNY finally rolled out a remote-work option for us staffers but then decided it doesn’t go into effect until March 18th. All day yesterday upper management and HR kept insisting that we have to show up Monday and Tuesday while they process our at-home proposals. They seem more concerned about our output, about feeling 100% sure that we’re actually going to get our work done, than they are about our own safety. 

Or maybe they actually believe this response is appropriate? I was in a meeting yesterday where a manager said that we should still host events for up to 25 people. Others were scheduling in-person meetings and interviews (interviews!) for Monday. I was like, “Nope, I’m packing up, my husband’s picking me and all my stuff up in the car, I’ll check in from home on Monday at nine, see you maybe next month?”


The worst part – today we received an email from the dean stating that there’s a confirmed coronavirus case on the 15th floor of the building our school is located in. We work on the 10th, 18th, and 19th floors, sharing elevators and lobbies with everyone who works across all 22 floors. As a school focused on strengthening the labor movement and supporting worker’s rights, guess what our dean’s response was? That there will be a deep cleaning over the weekend and we are all expected to report on Monday morning. I am not joking. It seems as if my school is leading a revolution for everyone except those who work for the school itself.

Across the board, America has botched all aspects of containing this thing. So many don’t seem to understand the severity of it, which is baffling considering the amount of time we’ve had to prepare. Did people think America was immune? Or maybe they weren’t following the news. Or maybe they were but it was the wrong news. Years ago, back under Obama’s first term, I did an experiment where I compared the New York Times’s reporting to The Guardian’s reporting on the same issues, and I was blown away. Now, I only read The Guardian.

On my end, having an anxiety disorder has finally paid off: for three weeks now, I’ve been making quarantine plans and stockpiling goods. Hell, I even bought crafting supplies! That being said, I got nervous yesterday that three cans of formula won’t be enough for my nine month old, and so I went to Whole Foods on my lunch break, the one by Bryant Park that’s always packed, and I gotta admit, I was a little disturbed by how deserted it was (see above).

This is serious, y’all. And very, very weird. The surreality of it makes it hard to accept. I think that’s probably why management scheduled interviews for Monday and expects us to take the subway into the office midst a confirmed case in the building. These actions feel normal in a very not normal time. Denial is easier for some.

But seriously, screw them. Last night I came home to a husband––pissed off as he may be––cooking pancakes for dinner. To a chunky baby with huge toothless grin reserved just for me. To a four year old running around the living room, arms spread wide as he flew like a dragon. To a dog wagging his tail so hard it thumped against his body. To a cat meowing from her roost on the couch. 

We are so full over here. I could get lost in fear over how we’ll provide for all of these creatures, how we’ll keep them healthy, how we’ll keep ourselves healthy enough to be what they need us to be. Or I could get lost in the love, the joy, the life of it all.

Right now, I’m choosing the love.


***

Check back this evening for a post about ways to stay positive plus fun things to do at home. My post about talking to and meditating with older kids will come tomorrow.

Covid City: Diaries of a New Yorker During the Coronavirus

subway rush hour3/13/2020, 9:05 am

I am on a morning rush-hour train in which half the seats are empty when normally there is standing room only. I love how CUNY is chugging through, how this behemoth institution will continue serving the community of New York City no matter what, but it’s ludicrous to require the entire staff to take public transportation to an office (mine in Midtown!) when most of us can work from home. I can’t imagine this policy will last through the weekend. Even if it does, I am not returning next week; my makeshift bedroom office is ready to go.

Still, there’s an energy on campus like one I’ve never felt before. People are not standing in hallways talking the day away. It’s amazing to see my coworkers rally like this. Teachers turning entire curricula into online lessons in just a few days. IT guys working around the clock, setting up complicated systems, running training sessions every hour. Advisors rushing around, ensuring all students have access to computers, internet, food. Union members talking on the phone until 11 pm, hashing out protections for hourly employees, writing demands for our long-term safety.

As the train approaches Manhattan, seats do fill up a bit more but not fully. Only one person is wearing a mask today; I think the message that they’re useless has sunk in. It’s impossible to keep the recommended 1-2 meters of distance from one another, and so we smile as we lean away. We are all in this together.

I’m fascinated by the juxtaposition of how quarantining, social distancing, and all these cancellations feel anti-community but are actually measures to protect the community. While we isolate ourselves in our apartments, we can no longer pretend that I the individual is more important than the we the group.

Of course it’s terrifying for those who are homeless, food insecure, sick, or working low-paid jobs in one of the many industries currently crashing. There are so many reasons why we’ve been out in the streets protesting, long before Trump took office. Our system was built on a broken foundation. And now that we need the system’s services more than ever, it has crumbled, leaving those who need the most with nothing. 

No surprises there.

That being said, I’m impressed by the systems that are still working. Chug on, CUNY! While the slow response to creating a remote-work plan for staff has been frustrating, I am so grateful for my job, especially now that the governor banned gatherings of over 500 (as he should have), leaving my husband, an audio engineer, unemployed.  

What will happen to our economy? To our upcoming elections, especially considering the fact that COVID-19 will return next flu season before a vaccination is in place? What about our school system, which I’m sure will be closed by next week, leaving millions of people stranded at home?

covid-19-image-1

The thing is, we need each other right now, and so we have to be proactive about setting up ways to continue our community. I’m in the process of scheduling regular video chats and phone check-ins with my people. It’s been recommended to start and/or join online groups and forums; I spend too much time on Instagram already so I’m good there. What I’m most excited about is the fun plans I’ve made with my immediate family – we stocked up on art supplies for a crafting idea L came up with, and now that Dave has all this free time, he’ll be turning part of our living room into an at-home recording studio.

All that being said, I know it will be challenging to get work done in a small apartment with two kids and a disillusioned husband all on lockdown together. That’s why positivity and connection is more crucial right now than ever.

***

Check back this weekend for my next entry on how we’ve been talking to L (my anxious and perceptive four year old) and how I’ve used meditation to keep us all sane.