I usually save these articles for our newcomers who have either just arrived or arrived the year prior. This year is a bit different and I would love to write about “Settling in” from a different perspective. Our family was due to move back to Canada in the summer of 2020 and nothing was going to stop that move according to my husband’s career manager. Well, guess what….COVID 19 arrived in March and those plans to move back to Canada were uncertain. In May or June (as with everyone else I think all those months are blurry) we found out we would be staying in Belgium for another year. I was beyond excited and happy. I started to plan all the wonderful trips I would take in this ‘bonus year’ we were given. Well, it didn’t take long for reality to set in and for me to realize this year was not going to be like any other. The new norm of COVID-19 lifestyle started to sink in very quickly We tried to find ways to make the COVID virus seem a little less scary for our children but also understand the severity. We happened to be away in March when the entire country decided to go on lockdown. Our children didn’t have a chance to say bye to their friends and teachers. The beginning was a little rough. They wanted to play with their friends. They didn’t understand why I couldn’t call to make playdates. Belgium rules were no contact with other people outside your family, and we respected those rules. We could still see our friends, wave from a distance, and say hi through the windows and eventually, our children adjusted.
Through play, we taught our children what to expect in the world once we were able to leave our homes again. We played ‘store’, and before entering the store, we had to use disinfectant and wear masks. We bought masks that the children liked and picked up fun smelly hand sanitizer. I am not saying it was perfect or they enjoy wearing their masks when we leave the house, but they understand. COVID is now a part of our everyday life, and we are trying to find a balance for this new norm. We have learned to appreciate the precious times we spend with our family as you never know what could happen. We learned to slow down our pace of life a little and appreciate what is around us. We took the time to watch spring bloom before our eyes. We had time to take family walks together and stopped many times along the way to look at snails, bugs, and sticks. We have also learned how much in a day we touch our face, or how quickly toilet paper can disappear from store shelves. We are all navigating this the best we can for our family. We try not to make it a negative thing our children will remember, but more as a time in life we had to quickly readjust.