Read on Twitter
New from me: When people ask how I’ve been holding up during the pandemic with my 3 year old, infant, and work, I usually say jokingly, “Oh, you know, trying to get by.” But the truth for me and a lot of working parents is we’re not okay https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/venessawong/work-from-home-parenting via @BuzzFeedNews
It’s hard to describe how overwhelming it is to try your best to meet the needs of your kids and work and life right now and sincerely feel like you’re failing everyone—including your children https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/venessawong/work-from-home-parenting
My household is approaching Day 140 of being mostly stuck in our New York apartment. My older son has hardly seen another little kid in months. On weekdays, while the adults work, he watches limitless amounts of TV https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/venessawong/work-from-home-parenting
My baby, who was born just before the pandemic, knows little beyond the brick walls of the apartment building. We try our best to soothe him. I worry every day about what future my sons will have, what world I am giving them. https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/venessawong/work-from-home-parenting
Our pre-pandemic standards of what successful working parenthood looks like aren’t relevant anymore. We need new standards for ourselves and a lot more support—especially our employers. https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/venessawong/work-from-home-parenting
Employers need to understand that working parents truly can’t compartmentalize household responsibilities as long as we’re also caring for our kids at home, and, most notably—they should not penalize parents who have to make sure their families are okay https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/venessawong/work-from-home-parenting
It’s a radical shift for companies who have long expected parents to handle personal matters when they’re not at work. But there is no “off hours” anymore. https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/venessawong/work-from-home-parenting
Of course, none of this is simple and I mostly just hope that my children one day understand that I’m so very sorry that this was the best I could do for them. https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/venessawong/work-from-home-parenting
And for myself, none of the trivial goals I used to care about—travel, extracurriculars—matter anymore. I just want my children to have each other and to have us and to know that they are loved beyond measure. https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/venessawong/work-from-home-parenting
