Recently, someone asked if I could meet a work deadline by the end of May. Although I can tackle the project from home and am accepting any work opportunities that come my way, there was no need to reference my calendar. We shared a laugh about it. Who knew a pandemic could be so amusing?
Everything has been canceled, and the few things that remain are hastily scribbled in pencil. I feel like Ralphie at the end of A Christmas Story, standing there in shock after the Bumpus dogs devoured the Thanksgiving turkey. Just as Ralphie’s father holds up a discarded turkey wing while the voice of adult Ralphie reminisces about the loss, I find myself in front of the blank family dry erase board in the kitchen, clutching my almost useless paper calendar. No more birthday parties, soccer practices, dentist visits, playdates, or school events. It’s all vanished— and I genuinely miss it.
Back in February, while planning a spring gathering, I reminded everyone that May can be a chaotic month for parents of school-aged children. Between field trips, spring sports, and teacher appreciation events (which I can’t appreciate enough these days), it was typically overwhelming. I was sure we didn’t need another event, but now I find myself longing for the hustle and bustle of our busy lives.
Staring at the nearly empty dry erase calendar in the kitchen, I mourn the vibrant colors that usually represent our jam-packed schedule. Sure, I often complained about the effort it took to keep everyone organized, fed, and on time while managing my own commitments alongside three kids and a co-parent. But I thrived in that structured chaos.
An empty calendar does nothing for my time management or organizational skills. Watching my kids play sports brought me joy, not just because they were having fun, but I took pride in knowing their uniforms were clean and their bellies were full from the quick meals we had in the car on the way to the field. We were always right on time, too. Let’s just say my kids weren’t the only ones making strides every spring.
I miss not only their sporting activities, but also the way those activities channeled their boundless energy. My kids are naturally active, and while we can still go outside and get moving, the focus that comes from school and extracurriculars created a sense of calm in them. Now, with no spring sports to practice, my children are mastering the art of jumping off furniture, drop-kicking each other, and perfecting blindfolded somersaults, not to mention the occasional bloody nose.
My family thrives on activity. We enjoy downtime, but we need variety and engagement to feel fulfilled. I long for my workout partners, volunteer work, and speaking gigs. While I’ve managed to hold onto a few projects, most of my work has been sidelined, along with my once-busy calendar. When I’d pick the kids up from school, they would always ask what was next on the agenda, and more often than not, we had a sporting event or dinner with friends planned. Playdates were a staple of our weekends. Sure, it sometimes felt like managing our social calendar was more work than it was worth, but it was undeniably rewarding.
With our active lifestyle on pause, establishing a new routine has proven difficult. Everything has come to a standstill, yet we still feel the urge to keep moving forward. To bring some semblance of normalcy to our days, I now write out a schedule for the kids each morning. It includes screen time, outdoor play, and some schoolwork. But there’s no urgency to rush from task to task. Instead, we’re itching to reconnect with our busy, active lives. My kids have no idea how much effort it took to maintain our colorful, chaotic calendar; they just know they’re missing out.
While some days felt overly packed, I know I’ll eventually feel overwhelmed again with the demands of juggling multiple commitments. Others may be enjoying the slower pace, but I will relish the excitement of life when we can speed up once more.
Once this pandemic is behind us, we’re going to dive into every library, park, ball field, birthday party, and community event available until our calendars are once again beautifully chaotic. If you’re curious about how to navigate this journey of parenthood, you might find insights in some of our other blog posts, like those shared on Home Insemination Kit. For authoritative resources, check out Make a Mom for the best home insemination kits or visit Healthline for valuable information on pregnancy and intrauterine insemination.
In summary, while the pandemic has brought the hustle and bustle of our lives to a halt, the longing for our over-scheduled days is palpable. We crave the variety, activity, and connection that defined our family life, and we look forward to embracing it all once again.
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