Quarantine: The Single Parent’s Story

By Myah Doakes - Staff Writer

Like others, I started taking the coronavirus pandemic seriously when schools started to close. I've never seen day-to-day life change so drastically for so many Americans.
I know that the uncertainty of the coronavirus has created challenges among many families, including several schools and childcare facilities being shut down. Not only schools but jobs are being lost, hours being reduced at work and even separation of families. 
These are some of the challenges that I too am going through. I am a single mother who works full time and a part-time student. It felt like the government ripped my routine from me and said, “here make a whole new one.” Not only my routine was changed but it was all now done at home. This is now my new norm. 
Over time, I realized that this self-quarantine lifestyle is tough. Single parents are being thrown into a new normal of balancing schoolwork, homework, active kids and the boss wants you to continue to work from home. There’s a great task at hand and all I care about is surviving, getting my work done and keeping my child alive.
I often don’t credit myself, but seeing other single parents and myself surviving this quarantine, I say job well done. Even in times of uncertainty, we deserve to celebrate and be filled with hope. 
I think one of the keys to survival is to have an identity outside of parenting. I found that getting a hobby and taking mini-breaks was soothing.

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