Two years ago, give or take, we were sent home from work, and our kids were sent home from school without us knowing what to do or when they would be back. We didn’t see anyone but the people who lived with us for a long time. Our routines and home spaces were all messed up.
My craft room became my husband’s office, and my living room became the family room and my crafting space. My dining room became a classroom and an art room. My bedroom became my study room, and the kitchen ran 24/7. TV was our main form of entertainment.
Then as things slowly progressed, we didn’t know for sure if they were going in the right direction or not. You kind of felt we saw the light at the end of the tunnel, and suddenly another school closure popped up. The offices didn’t quite fully return, and you couldn’t plan too far in advance. Routines were constantly changing, and we had to adjust.
Things are back to a slight resemblance to what we remember as normal, but are we moms back to what we used to be?
I have realized I am drained. I am exhausted. I have very little motivation to do things I used to do so easily. I find it extremely difficult to get organized with my home activities as a stay-at-home mom.
I have come to realize this might be a consequence of the pandemic. For two years, I was on high alert, being careful not to get sick, dealing with the day-to-day as it came, adjusting and readjusting, adapting the house to our current needs, and trying to stay mentally active and motivated to achieve some personal goals.
“Why am I feeling like this?” is something I ask myself constantly lately, and after some inner reflection and talking to some of my close friends that feel similar to me, we have realized the effects of the pandemic on us moms are taking their toll.
I have yet to figure out how to overcome this feeling. I want to feel like myself again and not necessarily go back to who I used to be because we learn and grow, but I want to recover the organization, joy, purpose, and energy I used to have.
In case you feel like me, I want to remind you that you are not alone and that this too shall pass. We will recover from this. We handled our families; now it’s time to pay attention to our own needs.
