“Very rarely do I stand on my soapbox and talk about much anything outside of my home life and kids. This is something I am constantly cognizant of when I update my friends and family about my life. And I’d argue any of my friends would say my feed is 99.9% my life as a mother.
Today, I am taking a step away from that.
Matt and I have been so incredibly aware and cautious about how we have spoken in front of our children. There is so much change that has happened in the last month and a half that our goal has been keeping normality. Anyone with small children understands the importance of routine, consistency, and familiarity. This last month has tested us. Both Matt and I continue to work full time so balancing Scarlett’s curriculum on top of our schedules has been tough. But we have been managing, and dare I say, the child has learned a few things.
With a nearly 8-year-old, the schedule and seclusion has been a breeze. We’ve adjusted, readjusted, and adjusted some more. We’re finally in a groove when it comes to work, school, and tiny humans.
This all seems swell and rosy… and it has been. But tonight, my intuitive and effervescent souled girl asked to talk to me when we put her to bed.
Mind you, we’ve kept life as normal as possible. We don’t talk about adult stuff in front of her and limit her about what we tell her in relation to COVID-19.
However, TV has been playing announcements about social distancing, the risks associated with COVID, and the harm it can cause. And I’m talking kids’ networks. I’ve seen her watch these service announcements and quietly resume her schoolwork. She’s pulled me aside twice now, furrowed, and asking me to stay home since I have asthma and have a higher risk. She knows, as a nurse, I take care of sick people and am at a higher risk of being sicker. She’s seven. Let that sink in.
I’ve worked the last 6 out of 8 days. My baby asked me to sit and talk with her at bedtime. Normally this is reserved for seven-year-old worries and follies, but tonight it was different. She held my hand and asked, ‘Mama, can you please tell me what’s going on at the hospital? I’m scared.’
She’s seven years old.
There are people out there who are claiming this is a hoax. There are people out there claiming this is some made up BS. There are people out there who do not understand the gravity of what is currently going on.
But my seven-year-old is living it. Let that sink in. She’s seven. She’s has a mama who has worked in ER her whole life, but now, she knows something is wrong. She’s seven.
I sat down with her tonight and held her hands and talked to her about my hospital. About the amazing work we are doing to stay safe and take care of people. That I am doing everything I can to stay safe and keep her safe too. That as a nurse and a mama, I will always do that. Always.
My friends, she’s seven. She’s worried about her mama. She’s seeing first-hand what a pandemic looks like. If you ever needed a reason to stay home, it is Scarlett and the children of every other frontline worker. This isn’t some joke. This is real. Please, let’s work together. Let’s stay home and beat this.”
This story was submitted to Love What Matters by Alli Reichert, 31, of Wisconsin. Follow her journey on Instagram here. Do you have a similar experience? We’d like to hear your important journey. Submit your own story here. Be sure to subscribe to our free email newsletter for our best stories, and YouTube for our best videos.
Read about more stories like this:
Help us show compassion is contagious. SHARE this story on Facebook with family and friends.