Resilient Mothering
How Moms Are Forging Ahead in a Changing World by Carrie Jackson
T 20
wo years aſter “coronavirus” became a household word, the pandemic continues to affect every aspect of our lives. Mothers, in particular, have learned to reimagine
what it means to be a parent, employee, partner and friend, while still finding time for themselves. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, almost 70 percent of mothers say that worry and stress from the pandemic have damaged their mental health. While social distancing, quarantining, remote learning and
masking quickly became a new and oſten unwelcome normal, positive shiſts have also been developing. Already resilient mothers are exploring how to adapt to an ever-changing situation and learning when to hold on and when to let go. Tey are discovering new ways to be available for their children’s mental health, maintain their jobs, stay connected with other moms and prioritize self-care. Shae Marcus, publisher of Natural Awakenings South Jersey
(
NASouthJersey.com), says that the pandemic has brought a number of unforeseen silver linings. As a single mother of two
Central Florida
www.NACFL.com
young children, she has been in a constant state of transition the last two years and is starting to achieve greater balance. “Like most other mothers, my life before the pandemic was nonstop. I was getting by, and at the same time comparing myself to other parents. The world had to slow down so I could catch up, and I’ve been forced to stop, breathe and take it in stride,” she says. Marcus shares a common concern, that the isolation has
affected her kids’ development. “I worry that the lack of social integration over the past two years will have a lasting impact on my children. My son, who is now in third grade, was in kindergarten the last time he had a full year in a ‘normal’ school setting. Tat’s a lot to miss out on. While he is academically on track, I’m concerned about him being mature enough. Having sports and other extracurricular activities starting back now is helping to get them integrated again, and I’m able to fully appreciate going to an outdoor spring football game that wasn’t able to happen for so long,” she says.
daniilvolkov/
AdobeStock.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32
