Sometimes this staying home thing is easy. There’s no commute, there’s no annoying people, and I have pretty much everything I need here. I can rent movies on my TV, ship almost anything to my door, and I have a lot of crazy boys to keep things entertaining and interesting here.
Some days are really hard, though. Like when my three year old says “Mama, will you come here and play with me? I need a friend. I have no friends.” Or when he tries repeatedly to get his brother to play with him, which sometimes works, and sometimes ends with two very frustrated toddlers.
I am beyond thankful that we are quarantined at a point where we have both of them, and that G is no longer a baby. It gives them each some companionship. But they are both really missing their friends. I finally looked back at my calendar, and realized the last time we hung out with their best friends was on March 7th. The last time they saw any of their daycare friends was on March 13. That’s a long ways from June.
I know they’re fine, and this won’t last forever, but it still makes me sad. I can be thankful and sad at the same time.
There are a lot of things we can substitute or make due with while we’re staying home, but attempting to video chat with other toddlers does not teach the same lessons as playing in person and getting slapped across the face when you steal their toy. I joke, but a lot of important lessons are learned from play with peers. I’m missing daycare a lot this week apparently. I was looking back at pictures of the kids at daycare, and they were so happy. Pure joy on their faces from discovering new things every day, and endless new people to play with.
It’s not that they aren’t happy at home, because they are. But it’s harder to achieve that kind of surprised joy when we have the same routine every day.
