World Community

Being an extrovert and a father of a newborn is frustrating.

“Babe, let’s take her to Disneyland!”
“Let’s go to a baseball game!”
“My friends want to meet her!”
“She’s a part of the team now! She HAS to come to the games!”

Thanks to the wisdom of my partner, our kid continues to survive. Here’s a solid piece of advice that I only perceived at a surface deep level in the beginning:

“I don’t want them touching our baby!”

Just in case you were wondering if she was referring about you, she was. Also you. And you. And you. And everyone else on the planet except for her parents and my mom.

Parental common sense was not necessarily a gift I inherited, so I am incredibly grateful for my wife who clearly did. As our baby grows, I grow. I understand who should hold the kid, when that is, and for how long. I’m learning how to size someone up before I let them interact with my kid. That’s not to say I’m developing a prejudice, but a cautious paternal instinct. That gut feeling is slowly emerging.
Recent events have ramped up that development.

Covid - 19 was something we only heard about on the news a few weeks ago. It’s a virus that is detrimental to your respiratory system, causes coughing, sore throat, and fever. Many have died that are in the older demographic or have compromised immune systems. We are told if you’re young stay home and self quarantine. If you’re old seek medical attention immediately. We’ve also been told on the news that children are not likely to exhibit symptoms even if they contract it. That being said, if you have a child, do you feel better now?

I sure as hell don’t. - - -
That can’t affect us, it’s in China! Flash forward to now and we’re on the brink of Marshall law in the most populated places in the country. That includes where I live as well: San Diego.

Covid-19 quickly has granted me the gift of intense over protectiveness and anxiety inducing caution.

I must do whatever it takes to keep her safe. But what if that means keeping her away from me? What then? I’m free of this virus at the moment, but I work for an industrial laundry that washes, processes, and rents uniforms, textiles, and mats to a multitude of companies. That being said, we indirectly interact with practically every business in one of the most dense areas of the state and country. 

We are considered an “essential business”. This means that we are necessary for society to keep humming along. As long as we’re open I will continue to be at risk of contracting this virus. This also means that I have not been laid off or put on furlough as so many have. I am grateful and terrified.

My wife is and is not so lucky. Working for a preschool, she’s out of a job until potentially the next school year. Lower risk to contract, but now we can’t pay our bills.

Here’s hoping the government gets their act together long enough to ensure its people can stay afloat during this crisis.

All that being said, as a parent, how would you feel being quarantined away from your family to protect them? Natural instinct tells you your intervention of a problem brings solutions. But if intervention is complete absence, do you feel like you’re being a good parent? Are you ACTUALLY there for your little one(s)?

This has been eating away at me all week as businesses are being shut down left and right, and the numbers of positive tests for covid-19 exponentially rise.

How can I be a good father away from my family? What am I going to miss in her infant stages of development that I’ll never get back if I’m quarantined? And on the other side of the coin, if my wife contracts it, how will she be able to cope with potentially weeks of  separation for the first time ever?

There are plenty of heartbreaking, frustrating, and difficult scenarios that are going to play out for parents around the globe in the coming weeks and/or months and the only way to slow that number from rising is to take the precautions necessary to slow the spread of infection rate for your family AND mine AND your neighbor’s to remain safe and sound. Please, have a heart. I’m begging anyone who reads this to be responsible about their health and cleanliness.

Glove up. Sanitize you’re hands frequently. Wash your hands and face often. Stay home as much as possible. If you’re feeling any of the aforementioned symptoms, be proactive.

This hasn’t been pitched so far as a disease to rival the bubonic plague, or the swine flu, or more severe illnesses, but don’t let the “inconvenience” of admitting you might have it or put someone else at risk of contracting it stop you from keeping this pandemic in perspective.

Speaking of perspective, that’s gone right out the window in the last month. Watching and listening to too much news combined with a lack of self education has stripped many of their common sense.  Panic purchasing has become all the rage. I personally cannot speak for those who are buying incomprehensible amounts of daily household items to prepare for what I’m assuming they believe is going to be a “zombie apocalypse” scenario. I’m guessing misguided fear has fueled them to hoard items at random.

Don’t get me wrong, being prepared is not a foolish response to a crisis! Not at all. The problem is when your preparation disregards the rest of the human race, you’re doing it wrong.

The markets’ shelves my wife frequents are becoming emptier by the day. Milk, meat, bread, water....cornerstones of most Americans diets are seemingly ceasing to exist due to the nervous purchasing of the misguided and misinformed. Your community is hungry and Your elderly are going to die from hunger if we don’t level out.

On the other end of the age scale affected by the mass hysteria, when my wife can’t buy diapers or baby wipes for our 3 month old, you’re doing it wrong. If you’re reading this and you bought 20 containers of formula and 40 cases of wipes when you caught a whiff of the fear in the air, I’d like you to write to us at the barker and justify why you’re child’s lively hood is more important than mine, or your neighbors?

The only thing you’re proving is your lack of humanity, your selfishness, and you’re severely decomposed rationality.

Your health matters. Your family matters. So does mine. My little girl needs me. My family needs me. So please: be responsible, be safe, and show some heart.