Member-only story
Being a Mom in a Pandemic Is the Hardest Thing I’ve Ever Done
I am more exhausted than I have ever been in my life
Some days I find myself watching the clock too often, waiting for my kids’ bedtime. I really hate myself those days, knowing that I’m anxiously awaiting the moment they are tucked into bed.
I really am obsessed with my children, just like every mother. I take every opportunity to hug and kiss them and remind them that I love them. But I am crushed under my burdens these days. And I know as a working mother, I am not alone here.
It’s been several months since my children have been stuck at home and out of in-person learning, and in those months, I have played the part of planner, house manager, chef, scheduler, accountant, homeschool teacher, and counselor to loved ones both in and outside the home. I have held my daughter tight more than once as she has sobbed in her bed, crying about missing her friends and her activities. All of these stresses in addition to my career where I play frontline doctor, administrator, educator, budding researcher, informaticist, and emailer extraordinaire.
I admit that a deficit in time, a lack of creativity, and stress are my biggest enemies with respect to parenting. When school was still in person, I took things for granted — I never felt I did…
