A few weeks ago, a mom friend said to me, “It’s only a matter of time before everyone gets Covid.” A sharp wave of panic instantly washed over me. I didn’t want to believe her — in fact, I felt a bit resentful that she’d planted this awful idea in my head. But living in Florida, in an area with a high level of community spread, and where mask mandates in schools are currently unlawful, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t petrified that my five kids, ages 13, 10, 8,3, and 7 months, would get sick.
Days later, the walls started closing in. First, my middle schooler’s close friend tested positive. A neighbor was next, followed by several other people whose diagnoses brought the virus right to our doorstep. With cases cropping up left and right at my kids’ schools among teachers and students, the inevitable happened: My fifth grader exhibited cold symptoms on Saturday, and tested positive for Covid that Sunday.
I’d spent the past 18 months agonizing over Covid getting into our house, but when it finally happened, I wasn’t as distraught as I thought I’d be. “So here we are,” I said to my husband. Now, it was time to spring into action. As my husband texted relatives with a list of supplies we’d need ASAP, and I considered the best place to isolate our daughter, I couldn’t help but think, We should have been more prepared. So here’s what I wish I’d done before Covid hijacked the next several weeks of our lives.
Designate a place to isolate each member of the family. A kid’s room is the natural choice for them to isolate. But in our house, one bedroom has its own bathroom, and a glass door that opens up to our pool area. This became the” isolation room.” Now, I could see my daughter through the door with my own eyes — without going into her room. She didn’t have to come into the hallway to use the bathroom. Meanwhile, on a call with the health department, a rep recommended outdoor time, so this arrangement also allowed our yucky-feeling little to get some fresh air and much-needed vitamin D, as well as a change of scenery, over the course of ten long days of quarantine.
Our plan evolved when my third grader started showing symptoms, and tested positive. My husband dragged her mattress to “isolation central,” and the two girls started quarantining together.
Designate one adult to care for the sick, and one for the healthy (if possible). I’m breastfeeding, so it made sense for my husband to care for the sick kiddos — taking temperatures, serving meals, and removing their trash — while I tended to our baby and his preschool-age brother. During the first week, my husband didn’t hold the boys, change diapers, or chaperone potty trips even once. I made the boys’ food, and even slept in a separate room with our infant. There were a lot of sacrifices during those days, but our goal was to keep the younger ones from getting sick. Unfortunately, our efforts didn’t pay off, and they soon started showing symptoms as well.
Have a contingency plan if others get sick. This is where a backup plan would have come in handy. Once my baby had a fever, panic took over. Should I isolate with him or were we all already exposed? Should we let the isolated kids come out and join the family? Ultimately, we decided that in an effort to keep as many people healthy as possible, including our vaccinated middle schooler, we’d stay the course with the quarantine. We also assessed that there was no point vacating the main area of the house we’d been living in for close to a week. Meanwhile, a call to our pediatrician confirmed that testing the baby was unnecessary. The best course was to assume he had Covid, and treat his symptoms. To that end, if only we’d been more well-stocked with care essentials.
Stock up on supplies. Luckily I have family nearby, and they were able to drop home Covid tests at our door, which my husband and I used to test ourselves every few days, since both of us were caring for sick kids. By now, our 3-year-old was coughing. The ship was going down! So, Infant Tylenol was also an ask from my parents, as well as more gloves, disinfectant spray and wipes.
Have a meal plan. We’re eating every meal in the confines of our home, so after a few days, our pantry was depleted. Thank goodness for InstaCart — we stocked up on individually-wrapped snacks and drinks, including Gatorade, since our doctor urged us to keep the kids hydrated. Easy-to-prepare meals were lifesavers (we relied on more frozen pizzas than I care to admit). We also bought paper goods and disposable cutlery in bulk so we could throw out anything the sick family members used.
Keep arts and crafts and STEM activities for the kids handy. After a few days of doing schoolwork and watching movies on a rotating cycle, my kids were bored out of their minds. Thankfully, friends and family members started sending markers, coloring books, science projects, Mad Libs, and stickers en masse via Amazon.
Create a communication plan. My young kids don’t have phones — old school, I know — so our Amazon Echo Dots became invaluable tools. We used the “drop in” and “announcement” features to stay connected and so they could reach us at any time.
Have an emergency plan. During a panicked call, my pediatrician mentioned that if we took our baby to the closest ER, chances are he would be transferred to the children’s medical center, but we wouldn’t be able to ride with him. Thankfully he improved, but I’m glad I knew taking him to the children’s hospital was the right move in an emergency.
Accept help. By opening up to friends and neighbors, we received much-needed support and assistance. Someone dropped off food, someone else sent flowers, and we even received an Edible Arrangement. These gestures went a long way in bolstering both my and my kids’ spirits as quarantine stretched on. I also kept up a text chain with friends whose concern helped me stay sane during low moments, of which there were many.
Be patient. Covid is a long game in my experience. Ten days after the kiddos first showed symptoms, they still feel run down. I thought it would be like, you snap your fingers, and voilá! Quarantine is over and you move on with your life. Nope. It’s also worth noting that we need to pay attention to kids’ mental health after an ordeal like Covid isolation. It’s a lot on them and so not normal to be living this way. We actually ended up rearranging the furniture in “isolation central” for a fresh start.
The good news? In the end, we are getting through it all, albeit slowly, and will come through a little wiser — and more grateful — on the other side.
Spit up and the Suburbs 