When a child receives a new toy, there’s that special and exciting feeling about playing with it right away; exploring all of its cool tricks. But then the novelty wears off. That’s similar to how many parents felt (and still feel) about the COVID-19 stay-at-home orders: Fun…at first. But harder and harder as homeschooling and at-home childcare became an all-encompassing (and exhausting) reality. So, during these pandemic days when we, as parents, stumble upon any sort of levity, we call that a “little win.” Ahead, nine parents on the little wins that helped them through the week.
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9 Real Parents on the Little Wins That Got Them Through the Week
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Published Jul 17, 2020
Twenty20
“I worked out! I have not exercised for a single minute since the pandemic began. Two parents working full time with no childcare equals not an option, especially with a toddler who has recently started waking up around 5:30 a.m. on most mornings. Over the weekend, I broke down to my husband: We have to team up on this. So, we came up with a plan that every other day, come hell or high water, we would help the other person work out. I had Tuesday andThursday this week and fit in a three-mile run on both days. I felt invincible! I also forgot what a head-clearing energy boost running is. A total win.”—Rachel B.
“I’ve been rotating my infant’s toys every week, so they appear new and interesting. This also encouraged him to play independently...which allotted me some extra time to get work done while he was awake. His favorite toy of the moment? Blocks from Lovevery. ”—Amy O.
Twenty20
“I saw a sale going on at a luxury sleepwear company and immediately ordered a pair of gingham sleep shorts at an amazing price. Even better, I didn’t have to break my workflow because I used PayPal to check out so I was able to complete my purchase in a matter of seconds. Now I have a new set of pants to wear for a solid quarantine month.”—Dana D.
“We had a problem with the air conditioning unit, so we had to call a repairman to fix it. When the job was finished, he wanted cash, but we didn’t have any on us (because who goes to the bank these days?). Fortunately, we were able to pay him via the PayPal mobile app, which allows you to send, request and receive money from other PayPal users almost anywhere.”—Dabee K.
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“My one-year-old daughter, who usually wakes up at 6:30 a.m., slept past 8:00 a.m. and it was glorious. I made myself a nice omelette, enjoyed an espresso and read the news in peace and quiet.”—Larry R.
“I realized I had all the ingredients on hand for homemade carrot cake and gave my kids full reign to do it on their own. They worked baked it together and even cleaned up afterwards! And yes, the cake was delicious.”—Mirissa K.
“I’m a respiratory therapist so getting anything done during this pandemic has been a big challenge, but I was finally able to get my toddler one step closer to being completely off bottles! When we started back in April, my son was on three bottles and by end of May we were down to one. Getting them off the final bottle is supposedly the hardest, so we are still really happy with the first two mini wins.”—Caitlin G.
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“When quarantine first started, all routines and rules went out the window: It was about survival…and to be honest it still kind of is. But during those first few weeks, my husband and I were so focused on making it through the workday while taking care of our kid that cooking and healthy eating was bottom of the list. After too many takeout dinners and junk food binges, we decided it was time to make nutrition a priority, so we enrolled in our local CSA (communicated supported agriculture) box and it’s been a lifesaver. As an unexpected bonus, my 11-month-old loves to play in the box our veggies come in, which entertains him for a whole 15 minutes.”—Alexia D.
“Trying to get anything done with a 11-month-old is a job on its own but a few of my little wins lately include being able to successfully cook a meal for our family while having her in the Ergobaby carrier, doing laundry by entertaining her with the laundry basket and working out while she naps. All small things but they add up!”—Amanda F.
