There is a new super hero. She is my favorite one yet. I love that she is supernaturally gifted, yet so very relatable.

They call her Pandemic Mom. Since March of 2020 she has been quietly keeping the world spinning.

Her days are filled with teaching her children, working from home, working on the frontlines of a healthcare crisis, & figuring out how to feed the herd of people that live in her home & eat all day long.

She is amazing under pressure. Her quick thinking, enables her to scrap the “new” math her child is struggling with & go back to the old fashioned carry the one method & that has saved many tears, including her own.

She reaches deep within herself & produces the wisdom to let go of her tightly held previous parenting convictions for the good of her family. She realizes that these are not normal circumstances. She is aware that an increase in screen time does not mean her child will fail at life.

She is open to suggestions. She discovers that a day off from school spent at the river is in fact good for all the souls that live in her house.

She is an expert in offering grace. She understands that her kids are grieving, even when they don’t understand. Missed sports seasons, graduations, proms, & just plain missing friends has a tremendous impact on her kids & she recognizes it. She too grieves for these missed opportunities & understands that yes, her kids are safe, healthy, & well fed, but they should still be allowed their feelings.

She discovers the healing power a snack and a nap have.

She realizes that birthdays, holidays & milestones don’t stop even when it feels like the world has. She figures out ways to make these times special, something her kids will remember long after this crazy time in their lives is over.

But she is not perfect.

That is one super power she lacks.

But she becomes aware that there is a whole gang of Pandemic Moms & they are there for each other. She discovers never to under estimate the joy a funny, sometimes inappropriate meme can bring. She discovers there is power in just checking in on her friends & receiving those check ins herself. A simple card in the mail or sweet text can bring so much happiness & give her the strength to keep on keeping on.

She understands that she is not alone. Her faith that has always sustained her reminds her that she can do all things, she can do amazing things.

Pandemic mom was born out of necessity, but I believe she will live long after this pandemic is over. She is you. She is me.