Gerica's Tips for the "New" Normal
Two weeks ago, I had no idea I’d be embarking on a full-time, homeschool teaching gig. I now find myself playing the role of wife, mother, teacher, chef, therapist, entertainer and to be real, sometimes a warden. Thankfully, since we’re home for the foreseeable future, I can cross “chauffeur” off that list. If I’m being honest, I feel the weight of the world on my shoulders. We. All. Do. Adding in the fear and uncertainty of you, or your child, being immunocompromised makes everything more intense. I want to share a few suggestions that are working (and a few that aren’t) for our family in the hopes to help and inspire you as we all work to Live Yes in our new normal.
First, a bit about me. I am a stay-home parent to three children, age 6 to 13. My oldest was diagnosed with juvenile arthritis at 18 months. She has been on some form of immune-compromising medication since her diagnosis. Thankfully, she has a wonderful team of doctors who have been very accessible to my questions and concerns as this pandemic has unfolded. My first bit of advice, if you haven’t already, would be to reach out to your medical team. They will be able to accurately give sound advice for your specific situation. Our doctors have been very informative on ways to mitigate my daughter’s risk of exposure to COVID-19. You’ve spent years developing a strong working relationship with your medical team, trust their guidance during this time.

Now, some ideas on managing life at home. I run a tight ship. Our homelife is organized, well-planned and predictable. A controlled environment is my happy place. Cue global pandemic to push my parenting anxiety into high gear! I think what I struggle with is the unknown. On a typical day, I have three kids attending three different schools. I know I have from 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. each day to do all the things that need to happen for the children. I know that homework and dinner need to happen on schedule to get kids to their practices and activities. And now, poof. Gone!
Before the first day of our “COVID Homeschool Academy” I took time to develop a daily schedule. I pushed hard to stay on task by setting timers and making sure everything was happening by MY intentionally thought-out plan. Day 1 went great! But, there was some resistance on day 2 and by day 3, 3 of 5 members of my family had a teary breakdown, myself included. I have now realized that what works one day, might not work on another. And what works for one child, will be the demise of someone else. We have now all agreed that we loathe the word “schedule” but realize that a “routine” is better suited for us.
My oldest is great at working independently. She is a task master, like her mama, and gets her work done. Other than checking in from time to time and throwing a sandwich her way around noon, she’s functioning well on her own. My middle child needs more structure. We focus on different subjects at specific times throughout the day, always starting with what she dislikes most first thing in the morning. Trust me, get that battle over with early in the day and things can only improve from there. She needs more check-ins on how long she’s spent on each task but has found her groove. Then there’s the littlest. He’s in kindergarten and on his best days can be described as feral. I’ve come to learn that six-year-olds never stop talking. Ever. His school packets are done 15 minutes at a time and then he’s released into the backyard to burn some energy. We mix up worksheets with computer time and reading stories with hands-on learning, like building or cooking. In the end, they are three very different children with three very different learning styles and sets of needs. If a set schedule works for your family, great! But take this time to listen and observe what your children’s needs are and come up with your own family routine.


We are all finding new ways to move our bodies. My favorite is simply walking our dog. This was usually a task I did alone while the kids were at school but now we go as a family. We talk, we laugh, we enjoy all the sidewalk art along the way and our dog is loving every minute. Movement is good for your body and good for our soul. Find what works for you and commit to moving for at least 20 minutes each day.
Social distancing is tough. I’m social. I like being with people. I’m a hugger. My family is the same. We hug when we see friends and family. We gather frequently and we’re happiest when our home is filled with friends. What we are missing most right now is connection. It’s there, we just need to be creative in how we find it. As much as I hate to admit, my use of social media is way up. But given the circumstances, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Social media is allowing me to “see” what my friends and family are up to and how they are keeping busy. And there is certainly no shortage of funny memes to keep us laughing.



Finally, as I mentioned before, we are all feeling overwhelmed with this situation. We must not forget to take care of ourselves. You’ve heard it for years on airplanes, put on your own mask before putting on my news feed.


These are challenging times, show yourself some grace. Be kind to yourself and your family. If it works for you to keep a normal Monday through Friday “work” week, stick with that. If you can only make it two days before needing a break, that is fine too. Find your routine, find your balance. We will get through this. As a family. As a community. As a nation. As a world.
In our nation’s current situation, charity organizations are being hit especially hard. Now, perhaps more than ever, the Arthritis Foundation needs your support. The Foundation’s ongoing work is critical to helping those living with arthritis. We must continue to support the mission in whatever way you are capable, whether that be a monetary donation, becoming an advocate or join
ing the Live Yes! Arthritis Network.
You can also share your story of resilience and how you are living your yes despite these uncertain times with this storybank. Share your story today!