How are you holding up?
No lie, April was hard for us parents. May seems to be on repeat with our stay-at-home order in effect through the end of the month, although some restrictions are loosened and we’re supposed to be wearing masks in public. If your family is anything like mine, the walls of the house feel like they are closing in a bit some days. I know the April snow and rainy days really took a significant toll on my otherwise optimistic outlook.
May traditionally has been the start of all the summer fun, kicking off with switching on the historic Buckingham Fountain at the ComEd Switch on Summer event Chicago Parent has been thrilled to be part of, streets fests and the opening of all the special exhibits and new attractions that contribute to making Chicagoland such an awesome place to be raising our families.
Not this year, unfortunately. At least not yet.
Throughout all of this, as we’ve managed our own families, we’re also thinking about all of you and have worked extra hard to make sure this time is the best it can be for your family under the circumstances. Our time has been spent focused on ChicagoParent.com gathering up virtual things for you to do with your kids, finding the helpers in the community and digging up ideas and advice to help you get through this pandemic without losing your marbles. We’ve tried to anticipate your questions and concerns to become the place you drop by every day for inspiration.
In fact, we do have something new every day for you. To save you time, we share the best of it in our newsletters, so I hope you’ve already signed up to get them right in your in-box. If not, here is the direct link: ChicagoParent.com/newsletters.
You’ll notice again that this issue is digital only. We feel it is important to get it to you right where you are right now to read at your leisure.
Normally this issue would be filled with Mother’s Day events and ideas. This Mother’s Day won’t look like the rest, but this year, we are creating something special for you. We’ve teamed up with Miss Jamie From the Farm for a special virtual early Mother’s Day concert via Zoom. I hope that it gives you a morning full of smiles that you and the kids won’t forget.
Please know that we are with you every day in spirit. If we are missing something you feel you and other parents need online or in print, please let me know.
Be well.
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This article originally appeared in Chicago Parent’s May 2020 magazine. Read the rest of the issue here.
