It Took Getting Omicron To Get A Break From Pandemic Motherhood

A photo the author's son took of her while she was sleeping Photo Courtesy Of Lori Axler Miranda The last two hours were nice. Two years of kids climbing the walls in boredom, of my husband and I climbing the walls with insanity; two years of “togetherness”; two years of managing the kids and the house while my husband works in the background of whatever room he can find; two years of trying to create normal scenarios in a very abnormal situation; two years of regular responsibilities like remembering to schedule doctor’s appointments and pick up groceries; and two years of putting my working self on a shelf in order to wear the hats of stay-at-home mom, teacher, housewife, house manager and personal assistant. “It’s been three days of mild-to-moderate cold-like symptoms, and I have done nothing but read, sleep, write, and lie staring out the window in silence.” The fact that I am able to step back from the workforce without our household financially collapsing is not lost on me. “Despite easily dishing out trite sayings like 'moms have the hardest job in the world,' we aren’t the least bit interested in making that labor any easier or valuing it in a meaningful way.” My second fear in sharing this is that you will mistake my joy in solitude for finding pleasure in a virus that has caused so much pain. Despite easily dishing out trite sayings like “moms have the hardest job in the world,” we aren’t the least bit interested in making that labor any easier or valuing it in a meaningful way.