[COVID-19] I’m a single, full time working mum with 2 young kids stuck at home. Here’s my story.

As I know, there are many people out there who are in the same position as me right now, I thought I would write this article as I would love to share with you what my life is currently like right now working from home as a single mother of two small children during the COVID-19 outbreak. Hopefully many of you can relate to my story.

Before this situation came about, my daily life was pretty normal. Working as a Sales Executive for Evently & Get Hitched, I was very well organised; my job was to travel around the island meeting clients, giving presentations, closing deals as well as networking.

I had my routine with my children where I would drop them off to school on my way to work at 8am and they would stay in an after school club until 5pm where they can complete all their homework, so when I would pick them up at 5pm we can come home to cook dinner and then enjoy our family time together in the evenings.

It has now been 5 weeks since the coronavirus hit Malta and had turned our beautiful Island into a ghost town. Closing all schools, businesses & airports.

The first 2 weeks hit me very hard. Suddenly my whole routine as I knew it disappeared and I was not prepared for this extreme and sudden change.

Now working from home, full time, making phone calls and taking online meetings & presentations, whilst having two small children running around and having to take care of them, this is not an easy task at all.

Also giving the fact that the authorities do not recommend that we leave our homes meaning that our children are not allowed to go out and play to burn their energy, they are obviously going to get very frustrated themselves as they don’t really understand the seriousness of what is happening right now, they just want to go out and have fun!

I would be making phone calls and half way though my conversation I would have to excuse myself to mute my phone and shout to the children ‘Please be quiet… I am on the phone!’ like 20 times a day! I’m sure other mums can relate to this!

Now I am suppose to do homeschooling & multiple daily tasks with both of my children. As well as working full time from 9am until 5.30pm everyday Monday to Friday!

This was a real shock to the system for me and I couldn’t see how I was possibly going to be able to cope like this for a long period of time, as by the end of the second week I was already feeling extremely exhausted.

I needed to find a way to meet the needs of my children as well as the needs of my work…

After discussing the stress I was under with my bosses, they totally understood the situation and we came up with a plan on how I would be able to manage everything. For the past 3 weeks with my new routine now in place, it has been a lot easier for me and my children.

Now working from 9am until 3.30pm, I am able to balance everything much better.

My daily routine is now waking up at 7am, where I have my coffee and check my emails and the get myself showered and dressed. I then wake up the children, make them some breakfast and get them washed and dressed also.

Then I give them an activity to do or maybe watch a movie, so I can then get started on my work by 9am. With everyday that passes, the children are becoming more understanding that when it’s time for mummy to work and make some phone calls, they must be well behaved meaning no shouting or arguing with each other as children do.

I find it really sweet how my daughter now likes to take care of me while I am busy working, bringing me cups of tea and some snacks 🙂

I take a break at noon and make some us some lunch. After lunch, I get back to my work until 3.30pm.

After 3.30pm my focus then goes fully on the children, we will start the homework together and I will then start with the usual home chores like cleaning, cooking, washing.

We try and get everything done by 7pm so we can then sit down as a family an enjoy some relaxing time together!

We must all now have to try and adapt to this new lifestyle for the time being.

Who knows for how long this will go on…

But as long as we try to support each other the best we can, and everyone tries to stay as positive as they can, hopefully we will all get through this safely!

Thanks for reading, please take care out there! #Staysafe #Stayhome