Being a rather socially awkward adult, I am actually not having a problem with social distancing during this pandemic. I have my family at home with me, I see some of my friends on animal crossing, and I use facebook and whatsapp to talk to everyone else. My daughter, however, is having a more difficult time.

When you are two years old and your whole world stops, it gets pretty challenging. She can no longer visit her aunts, uncles, cousins, and  beloved grandma. She hasn’t been to school in almost a month. There is no more going to the playground to swing. Basically, social distancing has been a real bitch for her.

Being trapped inside a small apartment all day sucks when you are two. Momma tries really hard to keep it interesting, but it doesn’t always work.  We learned about cows and how they are milked. We filled gloves with water and pretended we were milking cows. We have learned how anteaters lap up insects with their tongues. We then pretended we were ant eaters and ate (read-attempted to eat) “ants” (they were really just chocolate chips) from a plate with our tongues like we were ant eaters. We have learned how to bake cakes and breads and crack eggs and knead dough. We’ve gone through coloring book and sticker book and story book after story book. Nothing can compare to our regular routines though.

I’m also the outdoorsy type, so I feel for her sometimes. I really, really do. That’s why we sometimes quietly go on early morning walks. It’s getting hot here, but the weather is still quite nice early in the morning. There’s often a breeze. It’s quiet- you rarely see another person out, and when you do, it’s usually another mom pushing her small kid in the stroller. It’s a bit odd- we are all going through the same thing together, yet separately.

Salaam,

KC