How to Parent During a Pandemic

The past year my wife and I welcomed our son, one year after the covid-19 pandemic hit. We are blessed to have a healthy baby, however it got me thinking about of the timing of everything and how other parents must have felt navigating a global pandemic with a newborn at home. Putting myself in their shoes, and considering everything I’ve learned from life with our boy, there are some lessons that I have quickly learned about parenting during a pandemic.

Nothing is Guaranteed

Sometimes it takes a global pandemic to put it all into perspective. Losing friends and loved ones and watching the numbers of infection rise, from the confines of your home, all while holding an innocent newborn baby in your arms really makes you realize how precious life can be. As a parent, this is eye-opening and makes you appreciate and grasp onto the safety you can offer your child before they grow and start to gradually leave the home.

It’s All About Balance

Quarantine can become redundant and mundane. Seeing the same people, in the same place, day in and day out can make you feel trapped. Then add the newborn stage, with significant lack of sleep, spit up, colic, and just adjusting to being a parent in general, then subtract any support from loved ones that you normally would have had…. it can be tough. However, now that the world has begun to open up, people are beginning to experience crowds and social engagements again—certainly a shock after so much isolation.

As a new parent, my approach to everything has changed, and I’m learning that it’s all about balance. It’s about appreciating the time shut in with my closest loved ones, as well as soaking in every second enjoying a beer with friends. As I gradually introduce the world to my son, I’ll try to remember to always strive for balance.

One Day at a Time

This pandemic has been trying for everyone from every walk of life—however, the transition from individual to parent who is now fully responsible for another human life is monumental. Undergoing this change during a time filled so much worry and so many unknowns cannot be easy. To all who are parenting during a pandemic, whether new or old parents, keep up the amazing work and remember to take it one day at a time.