As I crumple into bed late at night, mindlessly scrolling Instagram to keep my finger from the “News” section, I notice that there are two very distinct quarantine experiences. There is one that’s focused on self-care, learning new skills, trying new Zoom classes… and then there’s one that involves children. My daughter is a very lively and robust sixteen months. This is what happened when I tried to quarantine with enlightenment in mind.
Goal: LEARN A NEW SKILL
Plan: Practice the ukelele that’s sitting in my closet
Reality: Play a chord on the ukelele. My toddler perks up- that thing makes noise?! She rushes over. I try to keep said toddler from pulling out the strings and put the ukelele in the closet- again.
Result: I don’t know how to play the ukelele.
Goal: RADICAL BEAUTY SELF-CARE
Plan: Use sheet masks, exfoliate, jade roll, etc.
Reality: My toddler is so interested in the jade roller I let her hold it. She absconds with jade roller. Where is jade roller? (Also in full transparency, I should have focused on polishing my toenails. There’s like two specs of purple left- total.)
Result: Is my skin glowing? No. But I used a sheet mask while baby was napping and because I was so relaxed, I fell asleep too. Win-win!
Goal: TRY NEW RECIPES: BAKE!
Plan: Make sourdough bread like everyone and their great aunt Martha
Reality: It’s baking day. I try to include my daughter in feeding our sourdough starter, Florence (this is her given name). I even let her give Florence a little stir. She rewards me by flinging bits of poor Florence across the kitchen cabinets. I bake when she goes to sleep.
Result: I made sourdough bread! Due to the loss of starter it’s- very small. More like a large bun. But edible! Great success.
Is my quarantine Instagram worthy? Yes. (Because I do comedy.) But in terms of aspirational influenster type posts, absolutely not. I may not be enlightening myself with foreign languages, zoom mediations or daily pilates classes, but I have seen all the OG Mister Rogers’. And when I combine that with baby’s delight, it’s all the zen I need.
