How Name Bubbles Staff Members are Handling Self-Quarantine

Hello everyone! We hope you are all doing well and are in the best of health right now.

Normally we love this time of year. The weather is warming up, and the flowers are starting to bloom. Spring sports are in full swing (no pun intended), and we’re eagerly registering our children for upcoming summer camps.

Unfortunately, normal is not normal this year. With the schools closed and Shelter in Place mandates in full effect, we’ve had a crash course into a new reality.

Parenting was a full-time job before, but now it feels like we’re running 24/7 shifts as project managers for our children. Daily tasks include, but are not limited to, trying to strike an optimal balance between education and play, honoring sleep schedules, making sure each child stays active outside of the house and away from the TV, etc. 

How are you doing with all of this? If you’re like us, then it’s safe to say some days are better than others - and that’s okay!

While the struggle has never felt so real, we want to let you know that you are not alone. Much of our staff here at Name Bubbles are also parents and are dealing with similar challenges themselves. 

We asked some of the parents on our staff how they’re managing during the COVID-19 self-quarantine, and we wanted to share their stories with you because you never know who needs to hear (or read) this sort of thing.

Name: Brian Lynch

Job Title: Customer Service Specialist

Family Size: Myself, my daughter Juliette (6), my son Maxwell (5) - THE THREE AMIGOS! #THEDAD #DADLIFE

With most everything shut down it can be challenging keeping my kids entertained for a full day.  I try to give them a routine so they aren't bored, so in the mornings after breakfast they can jump into something educational, such as reading and completing fun assignments on their electronic tablets. 

Mid-day, we have lunch and try to get outside if the weather is nice.  My kids enjoy riding their bikes, going to the playground or on short hikes through nearby parks, most of which are still open to the public where we live. 

Afternoons typically involve them playing with toys that emphasize creativity, such as magnetic blocks, puzzles, or coloring.  If they are well-behaved they get to watch some TV - again mostly educational shows (Sesame Street, Super Why, Storybots, etc.). 

We also play board games and card games together. Car trips have been limited lately to the grocery or big box stores for food and necessities.

Name: JoAnna Schwartz

Job Title: Business Development Manager

Size of the family: Myself, husband (Jon), son (Noah, age 4), Dog (Twiggy), and Cat (Rigby)

My husband and I had to quickly transition to both working remotely. We thought it would be swift but it soon became clear that our four-year-old was running the show. While I’m used to hearing the chatting of co-workers nearby or soft music in the background, this was quickly replaced by the sounds of Woody and Buzz from Toy Story 4 and I found myself humming the entire soundtrack from Frozen 2.

Lunch breaks were mixed with a new crew and our little dog quickly began taking advantage of the crumbs from extra daytime snacks. 

All in all, we’ve taken this stressful atmosphere and tried to make a positive spin that we have been gifted the opportunity to have more family activities during the weekday. 

We take the weather report daily and post it on our front door, just in case the mail person needed a reminder ;) We’ve repurposed our growing pile of our Amazon boxes into a really *interesting* giraffe poster. We’ve filled our extra breaks with impromptu family musicals, lots of projects, and scavenger hunts around the house - who knew hunting for the alphabet could be so time-consuming? If you think I’m crazy, please take a look around your house and try to find something that begins with the letter X. (If you find something, can you please let me know? We’re still hunting)

While we’re hoping to end this remote work schedule soon and get back to normal life, we’ll certainly have lots of family memories, some fancy fridge decor from our projects, and silly songs we’ve made to remember this time together.

Name: Mike White

Job Title: Print Production

Size of Family: Myself, wife, son (age 9), and 7 cats 😺

All this time at home has been just as good as any vacation. There’s been lots of quality time with my family, and attacking projects I’ve never had time for #happywife.

During this strange time we’ve been taking long walks observing the outdoor life that’s coming back this time of year. I’ve been teaching my son how to hit and throw a ball in the yard, and to be honest I was quite rusty. 

We try to find new activities for all to enjoy. We played ‘Cat-opoly for the first time (cat version of Monopoly), started a 1000 piece puzzle, and also made bath bombs.

If I can take anything out of this scary time it’s that I’m very grateful to have no option to really leave the house, and just focus more on my awesome family.

P.s. The cats are really enjoying my son's company.

Sharing is caring! We would love to hear about how you and your family are managing during these days. Please feel free to share your stories with us on Facebook and Instagram.

Also, we can’t stress enough that we wish you and your loved ones the best of health and positive vibes during these difficult times. Please stay safe, and we’ll talk to you next week on The Weekly Bubble.