10 random things that are making me get my groove back in quarantine:

I started out this Covid quarantine thing with a positive attitude - considering the circumstances. After two weeks, however, I experienced such fatigue and an all round depressed feeling. (I talk about this more on instagram) The last few days have been going better thanks to these 10 things. Hope they are of help to you too!

Starting the day with the kids instead of for the kids

Bart observed that with all the things I do for the kids in the morning: make breakfast, peel fruit, squeeze juice,... I start the day off on the wrong foot: the kids are all over the place within half an hour. So now I sit on the floor with them in the mornings and just play a bit before getting them breakfast. Recipe for smoother mornings.

Zoom app with headphones

WhatsApp video and FaceTime works just fine but I like how much calmer the conversations are with Zoom. I miss my family a lot and felt like I could never catch up because the kids would go bonkers the second I picked up my phone. Now I make my calls with headphones on and without calling the kids over. They end up waving hello from a distance, and if they join the conversation they do so on their terms (instead of “stop playing kids and sit down, we’re calling grandma.”) They like how the screen of the person talking lights up in Zoom. I guess it gives them more structure.

Lunches that remind me of summer

Oh boy, I was eating way too much bread. Sandwich here, another there,… and I felt bloated all day. Now I throw together a salad with some arugula, olive oil, hummus and tomatoes for lunch. I feel more satisfied than gobbling up half a loaf of bread and it gives me a vacation like feeling.

Sports wear

All of that baby and kids minding day and night is giving me a soar neck and overall stiff body. I felt like I needed to activate my body, but just couldn’t find a moment with three kids in the house to change and roll out a yoga mat. Since week three of quarantine had me in leisure clothes full time anyway, I now wear comfy sports leggings and a sports bra and this allows me to do squats or stretches anytime during the day without especially changing my outfit. Sounds stupid but instead of going up the stairs I now run up, I jump up and down with the kids when our song comes on or while playing with them stretch a bit. I won’t change into a sporty mom soon, I’m afraid, but I do feel much better fitting in that little bit of exercise each day.

More screen time

Yep, you read that right. I’ve decided being a mindful parent also means being mindful towards myself. Just tv after dinner wasn’t cutting it for me. So now the kids get some screen time in the mornings (they play games on an app) and before and after dinner they watch cartoons or a movie.

Make up

Putting on my face in the mornings, helps me put on a brave face too so even if I’m not leaving the house, I put on some make up.  

Formula

I still enjoy breastfeeding 7-month-old Phoebe but the last few weeks she has been so difficult in the evenings. She latches on, lets go when my milk comes in, clenches her jaw on my nipple, wants to change sides, cries and then falls asleep on an empty stomach. She then wakes up every couple of hours at night. So I figured I’d try giving her a bottle, maybe she’d be more calm with the steady flow? But then, that meant pumping and with how intense this quarantine has been with a sick husband and kids I got tired just thinking about it. Moreover, I experience a very depressing feeling while breastfeeding because of a strange hormonal imbalance (read more here.).

So I went to the drug store and got some formula. Strange how I’m so supportive of bottle feeding when it comes to other moms but when I’m at the farmacy buying formula myself it feels like I’m buying methadon for my baby and a ton of mom guilt washes over me!

I’ve tried it three nights now and the evening feeding sessions are much more calm, but… she’s still up every couple of hours and actually seems to be struggling with her digestion.

Whatever the outcome, it gives me peace to have formula just in case.

Less instagram 

When I’m not feeling well, I have noticed Instagram pulls me down even further which is weird because in good times, it makes me feel really good about myself. Accounts I usually feel inspired by, I am now jealous of and I immediately question people’s honesty when I see them making the millionth arts and crafts project with their kids or see them effortlessly baking in a clean house, the whole family fashionably dressed.

So now, I try to focus a bit more on me. Not easy, because I’m somewhat of an instagram addict. It helps that I use my phone a lot in the mornings to call my family and friends. The children also have 45 mins they are allowed to play games on it. This way the mornings are pretty much Instagram free.

Little ways of being considerate 

Bart and I have a great, solid relationship. Although we might come across as very direct in our communication towards each other to other couples, we actually never argue. At. All… except for the last two weeks! I’m guessing we’re not the only ones. Looking after three little ones and trying to keep them calm so that Bart could work from home wasn’t easy and fitting in all of the daily chores on top of that, quickly made me resentful of Bart quietly making phone calls from our home office. (this totally simplifies Barts actual job, but it serves my point :p) Now that we’ve talked through our feelings, okay my feelings, doubts and expectations, we are in a much better space. We didn’t make actual agreements but subconsciously we’ve been more considerate for each other. We were so busy being a team for the kids, we forgot to be kind and mindful for each other. Now we put aside our phones in the evenings, we help each other with little things, touch each other caringly in passing and are supportive of one another’s thoughts. These things were normal to us, but with me being easily irritated with this Covid madness, it really does help.

Less laundry

Needless to say that laundry with three kids and a sporty husband is a neverending story. So during quarantine, I’ve been more mindful about chucking things in the laundry basket. We wear the same clothes multiple times and if they’re not dirty, they go back in the closet. The kids have a separate set of play wear, we keep aside downstairs and let dry on the heating after they’ve finished and fold up for the next time. We bathe every other day, instead of every day. I know that this approach is probably not new at all for most of you, and considering the environment, we should prpbably stick to this after quarantine too!

I warned you, these ways of uplifting your spirits during quarantine are completely random! I hope they help you too though. Stay home, stay safe!

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