Image: Shutterstock
As I walked out of the doctor’s office, I was eager to hold you in my arms. My due date was just two weeks away, and the wait was making me impatient. Your father and I were very excited to welcome you to our world. We decorated a room for you, filled it with pretty colorful toys, wall hangings, and lights. We fixed your brother’s cradle and painted it to make it look brand new for you. We sat your brother down and told him that he has to step up his game and be an elder brother because you will be in our lives within no time. We knew our lives would change once we have you but little did we know to what extent.
Within three days of visiting my doctor for my final scans before my due date, the world was stuck with a novel virus. It disrupted everyday life and spread across the globe like a dangerous storm. It wrecked our daily routine and changed up our lifestyle. We were instructed to stay indoors due to a nationwide lockdown and did not have access to the outside world. Unless absolutely necessary.
Borders could not be crossed anymore, and we sent your grandparents back to their homes because we did not want them to be stuck in a foreign land during a global pandemic. Besides, we were unsure how long it would take for borders to be reopened, and we did not want to cause them inconvenience. They had come to visit us to help once you were born. But after they left, we knew we had to take up the responsibility of caring for you and raising you by ourselves.
Your brother’s life changed drastically. His routine was turned upside down. He is just four years old and did not understand what it meant to be among a pandemic. All he understood was that he did not get to go to the park anymore. He wasn’t allowed to meet his friends, have sleepovers or playdates. The time he spent with his cousins on weekends, swimming coaching, and football time was taken away from him. Your father and I made him understand that life will be different from here on out, and it might take a while for things to go back to the way they were. Or maybe this is the new normal.
Image: Shutterstock
I wondered how to keep him entertained. Your father and I came up with fun activities that would keep him engaged in the house. I wondered what it would be like to raise a newborn during a pandemic. Will the lack of social interaction influence your development? How much will your motor skills be affected? What about your speaking skills? I wonder, and I worry. I cannot talk to other parents and learn a little from their experience because there are no notes about raising a baby during a global pandemic. Because as far as I know, the last one was almost a century ago.
So you see my plight, dear second child? You are born during a pandemic. One that slowed down daily life, changed priorities, and taught the whole world the importance of community, family, and technology. We are happy and grateful that we have the technology to keep in touch with our near and dear ones who are far away from us. We are so glad that your brother does not have to compromise on his education and learning because of online education, and we are happy that our jobs are not affected. We still have the means to provide for you and your brother.
One of the most important lessons that this pandemic has taught us is how much little things matter. The sound of laughter, quality time with family, and the smell of delicious home-made food are moments we did not cherish before. This pandemic taught us the importance of gratitude, love, and family bonds. Dear pandemic born baby, I promise you that I will do my best to raise you and prepare you to be kind and strong. But until then, we have each other, and that’s all that matters.
