From the Publisher

By Nikelle Fesperman, Sales Manager, Pride Magazine

Diary of a Wimpy, Working Mom During the Pandemic

Ten-year-old Chase, trying to remain focused during zoom class W hat hit me the hardest during the Coronavirus pandemic was the fact that schools closed, and I had to work from home while helping my 10-year-old son with remote learning. By the grace of God, we made it through the school year, but in the beginning, chaos reigned in our household.

It was a huge adjustment for me and my husband, as we were now forced to take on the new and unfamiliar role as teacher. (I’m including my husband to be kind, but to be honest, I was the one doing most of the teaching.) The school provided the curriculum, but it was up to me to make sure he understood the assignments, completed them ON TIME, and stayed focused during Zoom class. Did I mention, my son attends a Spanish immersion school and half of his lessons are taught entirely in Spanish?!

The first couple of days were reminiscent of a horror flick. There was crying, screaming, yelling, running, and more crying (and I’m talking about myself)! I remember one day, I was preparing to work in my office i.e., kitchen table. My son was in his room starting his Zoom class, and I assumed he had everything under control. As I was talking on the phone with a client, he walks out of his room, and quietly hands me this note:

I hung my head low, knowing that we were going to have a long road ahead of us.

For me to survive this, I knew I would need to make some lifestyle changes, so I just “Let Go, and Let God.” Here are a few things I let go: • Deodorant – An underarm detox was long overdue. • Showering everyday – Does the human body really need to be washed every. single. day? Just asking. • Exercise – It’s overrated.

As time went on though, we slowly got into a routine, and I actually learned a couple of things about myself that I’m not necessarily proud of:

1 I am a helicopter parent. During some of his

Zoom classes, I couldn’t refrain from hoovering over his shoulder, being careful not to be seen by his classmates and teacher while whispering commands like “Pay attention!” “Raise your hand, you know the answer!” “Hurry up!” “Slow down!” 2 I am a master at multitasking. I learned how to eat standing up, meal prep, help solve a math problem, take client phone calls, and respond to emails all at the same time. Side note: I am proud to say that I am now an expert at fourth grade math and can multiply double digits using area models and partial products.

Clearly, we did not have it all together but with prayer, patience, and teamwork, we figured out how to make it work. I now have a whole new appreciation and respect for teachers and educators who make it look so easy!

SAVE THE DATE

Pride Awards 2022 is gearing up for an in-person luncheon during Black History Month on Thursday, February 24 at the Westin Charlotte. More details to come!