Deep in the throws of newborn cries, endless feedings, and nap cycles, I recall staring longingly out the window, wishing and praying to be out in the world again. I vividly remember telling my husband that I felt that my life had truly ended. All my friends were at the beach, and I was sitting in my living room trying to keep a tiny human alive.
I’ve always been a social person. I love a good girls’ dinner out, party, or gathering. Like many friends, I am not afraid of small talk or exchanging niceties. Therefore, when the birth of my first baby came in the dead of summer, in the middle of all the vacations, parties, and social happenings, I had some serious FOMO.
So I made the most of it, strapped my baby on, and went out. We walked, swam, did errands, and spent our days busy. It made the time go by faster and brightened my mood. I made a deal with myself to leave my house daily to feel human and stay connected.
As the days forged on and the years passed, I found my days to become more scheduled with play dates, parks, sports, the library, outings, etc. And it was no longer because I longed to be out in the real world. This time, it was for a much different reason.
Lounging around in my pajamas on a Saturday started to feel like a dream. However, days like these were awful. By 10 a.m., my kids had made ten messes. Dishes were piled high, toys everywhere, and I spent my days running back and forth to the kitchen to retrieve snacks and meals. I hated it.
I knew the only way to ensure the house would stay tidy, the once-a-week grocery store trip would last me the entire week, and my sanity would remain intact was to leave the house. Gather the troops and take off. Explore, play, be productive, move.
The bonus to my busy schedule is that my kids have had enriching learning experiences. There may not be a single kids club, museum, park, library, science center, or children’s place my children have not attended. The privilege my children have had with these experiences is never taken for granted.
When the entire country shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic, I felt imminent panic and negative nostalgia for the early newborn days when I felt trapped. While my husband loved every second of being stuck at home, I struggled immensely. The pandemic “doubled down” on my anxiety regarding staying put. And therefore, now that we have the opportunity to be free, we don’t stay home.
