6 tips to see you through when COVID hits your home
EPISODE 6
by Dianne Jimenez
This article takes 10 minutes to read
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Today’s podcast episode is one of the weekly emails I sent out to my subscribers back in January. You see, before the email even went out I was debating on whether or not to even SEND an email regarding this topic. You’ll find out why in a bit. But after hitting send, I got some responses back from my subscribers and reading words like “I related to what you wrote” and “great email!”. I thought, ‘Hmm maybe I could send this out to my audience. Why not? It has affected us all in one way or another‘.
I’m talking about the word we hit this new DECADE with: COVID.
The subject line on my email read “5 tips to see you through when COVID hits your home…” But I’m going to add 1 more and make it 6, for my 6th podcast episode! No, that wasn’t planned at all!
So we got hit with COVID in mid January. Insert all the feelings of shame and anxiety when typing the email out. But I pushed through to discover what I really wanted to say and, ultimately, do: Help my readers and now my listeners, of what to do if and when you do catch COVID and how to manage.
So on top of those negative feelings I was having, there’s also something about feeling judged by everyone because… you have it.
So in today’s episode, I’m going to take you through my takeaways of the 2 weeks of being sick. Here are my 6 tips to see you through when COVID hits your home.
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1. Dealing with guilt, shame and feeling judged
I was talking to my friend a few weeks ago, who didn’t catch it but had a close relative who got sick. So she knew about my feelings and she too felt like there was, and still is, an underlying culture of shame associated with COVID: Shame in having it and shaming those who do.
What I’ve learned these last few weeks is that, all I can do is try to acknowledge the negative feelings I was having and look beyond. To pour my energy into focusing on mine and my family’s life and keep moving forward.
Funny enough though, as we got better and better, I started talking to other people about – you know, catching up since we’ve literally been HOME and communicating with only a select few, and during our catching up, I found out that MORE people got sick and affected than I knew.
So maybe I wasn’t alone in feeling these negative thoughts. I don’t know. But it was a relief to know that we were far less than 6 degrees of separation from someone who caught it too.
2. (This is kind of riding on the coattails of point #1) Tell those on a need-to-know basis or… if you feel like it, go to town. I’m not one to judge!
I didn’t tell my mom until almost 2 weeks after the 1st positive test.. Why? I think because I wasn’t going to be physically near her any time soon. She was halfway across the world anyway.
find out how families with 3+ kids tackle the beast: laundry!
There was no fever or loss of senses either. And things were getting better after a couple of days anyway. So there really wasn’t any true urgency or cause for alarm. I didn’t want to worry her. I know, as a mom, I’d WANT TO KNOW EVERYTHING about my kids from a runny nose to …. everything else actually. So I didn’t quite give my mom a fair deal there. I guess, maybe, it’s that protective nature in me….and fear of judgment – Baby steps!
But! I did tell my aunt who’s always checking up on us. Plus my in-laws knew and were amazing at checking in and bringing yummy, comfort food. We’re so lucky to have them so close. I love them so much!
3. Stop burning the candle from both ends
I was mentally and physically tired after 12 hours of go-go-go. I heard and have been told to separate those who are sick from the not-yet-sick such as, have them use 1 bathroom, isolate them, everyone should wear masks, etc.
See, my house isn’t that big. We were already housebound and… we’re pretty much IN EACH OTHERS faces. BUT! On top of playing musical beds, I tried the whole isolation, disinfecting everything, and being ON for as long as I could. At the end of day 1, I said
SCREW THIS!
We were ONLY delaying the inevitable. We’re bound to ALL get it. So it was best sooner than later. This reminds me of that episode from South Park when the parents wanted all the kids to get chicken pox so… they had them hang out together and… I won’t mention the other part because it’s gross. Look it up!
How to get your kids started with laundry
Anyway, by the end of the first day, I was drained. We even made it so that those who didn’t test positive, stayed in the same room. That meant my 2 youngest ones and myself in my bed!
Ugh… I did NOT sleep. Not only from the lack of space but my youngest kept getting up from pain. Yeah… he was starting to get sick. But 24 hours later, he was totally back to his normal self. The first 24 hours were kind of brutal.
I was mentally tired but was I getting sick too?
Or was I just drained from being ON all the time…. or was it both? The anxiety this whole thing was creating in me, was not serving me at all.
So, by the next day, we lifted all the zoning and mask-wearing laws. However, we DID keep the same sleeping arrangements. The hubs was liking his own space, I don’t blame him but the kids were milking sleeping on the big bed. I didn’t mind and just took whichever bed the kids weren’t on… my youngest’s Kura bed from Ikea.
This more lax way of living, made me relax even more and could focus on just taking things slow, listening to my body and taking care of my family in a more calm and instinctive way as opposed to: sound the alarm, sick person crossing the room, take cover!
3 things to establish now before losing your s#!t later on
4. Have people within a touch of a button
Like literally, you press a button and there they are: fake or real. What am I talking about?
It was a great time to catch up with the rest of the world and press play to binge Downton Abbey for the first time (don’t judge! Lol). Or chatting with REAL people in various chat groups and texts. These are great distractions from being stuck in the yucky feelings and learning about people and what they’re up to vs. listening to the news and it being ALL about COVID. Ugh. Enough!
As I mentioned earlier about being ON and there for everyone, there’s nothing more amazing than someone being there for you – when you least expect it and when you’re sick. I remember thinking
My gosh, my mind’s been SO busy caring for my family that I didn’t even know how to care for myself.
I got a really good dose of reality when I got a text saying: “I just dropped off a bag with ginger, meds and ‘get well soon treats”.
Man, I felt TAKEN-CARE OF. My heart was SO full and I’m so thankful to them for understanding our situation and schlepping it over at -20something °C.
So keeping in contact with people even while you’re sick is essential for your mind, body and soul. I’m SO very thankful for all the wonderful texts and friends constantly offering help. You know who you are and we’re SO very blessed to have you in our lives.
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5. Be proactive BEFORE it hits you
For starters, the hubs notified the kids’ principal while I contacted their teachers asking to provide us with the work they’d need for the week. 1) to keep them busy and 2) not fall too behind on when they return.
Thankfully, they had all their books from pre-Holiday lockdown and online learning at the start of the New Year. That’s right, my kids haven’t been IN SCHOOL since Dec. 17th 2021. They were home for over a month!
Call it crazy and sucky that I barely had time to work on my business let alone have quiet time – unless it was after midnight. But I truly enjoy having them home and smothering them with kisses whenever I wanted. That, and the lazy schedule, no alarms, no needing to be anywhere and no stress! It was pretty sweet.
Alright! We’re already at number 6 of my 6 tips to see you through when COVID hits your home.
6. It’s OK that the house is a mess
No one’s coming over and everyone is using every inch of space. The laundry will pile up and the baskets will line your hallway the entire time.
This is a GREAT opportunity for a teaching moment – between your naps. It’s a great time for group work for those who are less achy– aka the kids. These guys bounced back after a day of feeling bleckkkh! So use this opportunity to teach!
Have them sort, fold and put away their clothes and feel that sense of pride because they’re helping out A LOT!!
If your kids haven’t started or not “into” laundry… have a listen to my podcast episode #4 How to get your kids started with laundry. I’ll link the episode in my show notes. I hope it helps!
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Ok my friends, Here is a QUICK recap of my 6 tips to see you through when COVID hits your home.
1. Dealing with the guilt, shame and feeling judged
- Acknowledge the negative feelings you’re having and look beyond.
- Pour your energy into focusing on yours and your family’s life AND keep moving forward.
2. Tell those on a need-to-know basis
- Save your energy and any anxiety from point 1
3. Stop burning the candle from both ends
- It’s inevitable. We’re bound to ALL get it. So why not sooner than later. That’s my opinion, obviously: you do YOU, here.
4. Have people within a touch of a button
- Stay in contact with the REAL world and the fake ones too. There’s nothing wrong with a temporary escape from your current situation. We need to help your mental health too!
5. Be proactive BEFORE it hits you
- We all know the kids need to do something other than play on their devices, right? I know this one is very challenging but it’s better than THEM feeling the effects of being behind in the classroom.
6. It’s OK that the house is a mess
- Save your energy, delegate to those who have more and who are capable. This is a good opportunity not only for them to learn but for you to practice on clearly instructing if you tend to show or do things for them.
I hope you enjoyed today’s podcast episode. Maybe if you did or do get hit with COVID, and I really hope you don’t, know that my heart and thoughts are with you for lots of support, strength to do what you need to do AND have a super quick recovery.
Thank you so very much for being here and being so awesome. Let’s check in again next week – same time, same place. Bye for now!
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