How are you doing? What have you been doing? What do you make of all of this?
The world has been under stress while trying to remain calm in the midst of chaos. The arguably most infectious virus, COVID-19, continues to sweep the nation indoors! I have been following the frightening headlines since February to present day, and you know what? I’M TIRED! Two weeks ago marked the last time that I would have punched a time clock, the last time my son would see his friends and teacher, and the first time I was forced to distance myself and my family from the outer world due to safety concerns. Our regular routine as we once knew it is no more. I’ve had to get innovative to keep some sanity and normalcy, to keep from spiraling out into a depression. The thing about home is that this is our resting place, our “safety net”, where we come to take a break from the things we used to do everyday. Now our home is home to Miss Mama’s P-4 Academy, the Buchanan YouTube GYM, and our updated version of “The Office”– minus the paper sales. All of these headquarters reside right in our forever transforming living room.
Miss Mama’s P-4 Academy was created to keep Landon sharp on his writing, tracing, coloring, and reading. Every morning (Monday- Friday), Landon and I begin classwork after breakfast–around 8-9am. We first tackle the task of tracing and writing his name. Mary’s Little Lambs, the school Landon attends, put together a packet of schoolwork to keep kids busy and on track with the curriculum. The packet consists of writing, coloring, counting and matching skill sets.
After classwork is completed, Landon has the option of going outside to play in the front yard or taking a walk in the neighborhood. He almost always chooses going for the walk first and we decide to just go back outside later in the afternoon. The walk– which is fun for all parties involved– is usually no more than a block or two and we come back home. The rest of the afternoon is dedicated to free time, usually after a well needed and deserved nap.
TIP: flashcards have been our latest game to encourage spelling of words. We also have alphabet letter magnets on our refrigerator that we use to also encourage spelling.
I’ve made it to the peak time of my day, which usually involves Miss Mama taking off her name tag, and taking care of important business in “The Office”. Usually I get started around 2-3pm, and that time consists of working strictly from my laptop or phone. My main job doesn’t require or call for working from home, so this is a benefit to working on building my brand. I’ve been given more time to create more content, engage with and build my audience, and committing to a more consistent writing schedule. This will last until about 7pm, and then I start transitioning into retiring for the day.
Hydrating Pineapple Peel Off Mask/ Intensive Foot Sock Mask both left my skin feeling rejuvenated!
Self-care is important and I believe in it without a shadow of a doubt. It’s even more important to take care while I’m going to be inside for at least the next 30 days. Last week I gave myself a mini facial and a foot mask all while still managing to fit in family time! Every self-care activity I choose is different, of course. I may decide to meditate and/or workout. Yesterday, I did a 25- minute Hip Hop Workout right from my living room TV. Sometimes I choose to rest and simply “be still”. I also choose to avoid the internet for a few hours (and that can turn into days) to shut out all the noise. Internet traffic is HEAVY right now and actually, so are all streaming platforms. I’ve been watching more TV than usual due to all the extra time I’ve got on my hands for the next few weeks. Below you can see a list of all the movies and TV shows that I’ve been watching while being in the house. Make sure you’re following me on social media to see my thoughts and reviews!
NOTE: this list is subject to be updated at any time.
It may seem like I’ve got it all figured out but I’m just winging it. There’s really only three keys to making it through quarantining and social distancing, with the main one being following through. PLEASE! Stay at home and practice social distancing only in essential situations (going to work, going to grocery stores). Stay positive! This is an obstacle but just like any other, we can and we will make it through. Find the silver lining to what this has forced us to do, which is be still and take care. Creativity will lead the way if you allow it. In times of boredom, it’s amazing what your mind can create.
Comment below and tell me what you’ve been doing during this time. I’m looking for new ideas! I want to share these experiences with you all.
