It has been said that parenting is one of the toughest jobs there is. I am watching my own grown children handle the interesting moments of parenting their small children. It constantly reminds me how wonderful it is while being more than challenging. It is so constant and so completely life-consuming to raise children in today’s world.
What makes it so much more difficult is the overwhelming nature of COVID-19. In the midst of school issues, health and safety, masks, vaccines and the constant threat of spreading this virus, parenting is filled with fear and uncertainty. Even after managing it all, the next day is filled with even more and it feels like there is no end.
Melinda Wenner Moyer recently published an article in The Atlantic that features a group of moms who are literally doing scream therapy about the absurdity and frustration of raising children during this pandemic. Here are some excerpts:
Last Thursday, a group of 20 mothers in Boston met up outside a local high school. Their goal wasn’t to socialize, drink wine, or even share COVID-related tips. They were there for one reason and one reason only: to stand in a circle—socially distanced, of course—and scream.
“I knew that we all needed to come together and support each other in our rage, resistance and disappointment,” Sarah Harmon, the group’s organizer, wrote on Instagram before the gathering. Ironically, some 20 other moms who had RSVP’d “yes” had to cancel at the last minute because they or other family members had COVID, Harmon told me.
When mothers feel there is no more appealing way to spend an evening than to yell into the frigid January darkness, something is very, very wrong. Parents in the United States are living through a universally terrible moment. For two years, we’ve been spending each and every day navigating an ever-changing virus that’s threatening not only our well-being but our livelihoods. The situation has reached a fever pitch during this wave, when we’re expected to function normally even though nothing is normal and none of the puzzle pieces in front of us fit together.
Here is the link for the rest of the article. Sometimes it is just helpful to join others who are struggling with these overwhelming challenges and simply share the frustration. For some parents, working with children during COVID feels next to impossible to achieve without guilt, struggle and a sense of helplessness.
This article is somewhat cathartic and makes a number of valid points about how impactful COVID-19 is to parents and to their children. Perhaps some parents can identify and feel like they are a bit less alone in myriad of struggles of parenting during COVID-19.
Gerry Vassar
President/CEO
