2020 came and went and this is the first time my year-end post has been late! But it is not the first year I did not do a year-end post. This blog must! not! die! Here is a list of some of the things we learned in 2020. It is by no means comprehensive.
- How to birth a baby without fear or (much) pain.
- Google Hypnobirthing and read/watch all the things (why did I wait until my 4th to learn this!?)
- Message me if you want to hear more!
- My regular lifestyle is called "quarantine."
- We started quarantining before it was a thing because flu season and newborns don't mix well. We were already feeling underwater in our parenting roles and getting sick was surely going to drown us.
- My husband pays attention to world news and made a Corona Virus Survival Plan before hand sanitizers and toilet paper were out of stock.
- No pressure to go out and do things has been really nice for maintaining nap schedules.
- It's kind of rude to say we don't miss social things that much, so I won't say it.
- I can open a door with my foot.
- A regular round knob. If it is a bare foot.
- The remainder of the list of things I can do while holding (different from wearing!) a baby (and probably 3 other things) is quite long and includes a washing a sink full of dishes, making dinner, etc.
- Lots of parenting techniques--I no longer feel like I'm drowning! and I like my kids again.
- Tantrums and misbehavior are caused by dysregulation. Kids learn to regulate by seeing it modeled (by their parents).
- Ten minutes of focused attention each day cuts down the dysregulation by a shocking amount--well over 50% and nearing 90%.
- My emotions are separate from my kids' emotions (them being upset does not need to equal me being upset).
- Our neighbors ARE interested in talking to us!
- It was either the pandemic or my chatty six-year-old breaking down the barriers
- Our list of neighbors we can name has gone up and neighbors we actually know something about and regularly chat with is well over 10. Some of them even have my number and have called at 9pm. 😂
- Living in town in a development of townhouses is not for everyone. But we are liking it for right now.
- We need to do more to stand up against racism
- We already agreed that All Lives don't matter until Black Lives Matter but we were reminded this year that it needs to be an active belief, not a passive knowledge
- We requested more books with more skin colors from our local library
- We stepped into more conversations about race with our kids
- We continue to plan for ways to expose our whole family to other cultures
- To enjoy a cleanly state of things, one must clean before needing to use an item or area of the house.
- This seems obvious, but truly I had not thought in those terms before. I am still absolutely too tired or distracted to actually clean up right after a meal, but I feel one step closer to making it happen.
- We were right that we didn't want a house with lots of house projects and upkeep.
- We were also right that getting more light into the house was worth the pain of a mini kitchen renovation which has carried into the New Year.
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