18 Months Of Pandemic Milestones

Plus, getting ready for the next phase of pandemic life

View this email online ©fitopardo/Getty Images Friends, To date in the U.S., pandemic life is just about 18 months old.  If you’re a parent, you’re used to counting things in months like that. If the pandemic was a child, it’d likely be walking independently by now, potentially saying single words and very possibly throwing temper tantrums. If you’re a parent like me, you might be feeling like throwing a temper tantrum too. Oh, the milestones.  This year has not played out like many of us thought it would: the hot vax summer that never was, the highly anticipated back-to-school season that quickly stalled after a positive test or exposure (and the stress for the whole community that comes with that), the breakthrough infection you got even after you rolled up your sleeve.  We’re all still waiting for a vaccine to protect the youngest among us. And whether you’re a parent or not, the current news of rising pediatric COVID cases and children’s hospitals filling up can make you feel pretty powerless -- especially when it feels like everyone is on a different page of pandemic life. Because a pandemic — like parenthood — is unpredictable. You can do everything you can to prepare, but actually going through it will still often leave you bewildered, scared and exhausted. We might be down, but if you’re reading this, you’re not out. We can work to see the other side of this fight by doing everything we can to protect ourselves and our families, calling in reinforcements where we can and taking it one baby step at a time. Life Kit can help with that.  Newsletter continues after sponsor message Here’s a quick roundup of helpful health information for facing the next phase of pandemic life: Have questions about the flu shot? This article will help. If you’re wondering if you need one this year, the answer is yes! (We may still be waiting on a COVID vaccine for kids under 12, but the flu shot is available to kids six months and up!)  Feeling COVID-19 anxiety as we head into the colder months? Here are six tips to help you cope. Hint: connecting with others always helps.  For people with babies at home, here’s recent reporting on what you need to know about COVID and the Delta variant. If you’re worried about breakthrough infections, read this article from NPR science reporter Will Stone, who writes from personal experience.   Looking for the latest on long COVID? Research is still underway, but experts agree it’s still important to get vaccinated.  Need a quick practice for self-soothing? This Life Kit episode on mindfulness will teach you how to practice Tara Brach’s RAIN method for working through anxiety.  From one tired parent to the rest — hang in there, friends.  — Beck Harlan, Life Kit engagement editor Israel Sebastian/Getty Images Your Advice On Surviving The First Year Of Parenthood Being a parent can be lonely, especially this year. Even if you’ve got a big support system, when you’re trudging through an endless day, exhausted (and likely unshowered), it’s hard not to feel like you’re doing everything wrong and you’re the only one going through it.  Survival is a team sport. We asked folks to share what helped them through the first year of parenthood. Here are a few of the responses. (You can read the full roundup here.)  “Our son’s cry can quickly escalate to a piercing, banshee-like screech — especially during diaper changes. I know his anguish should only elicit sympathy from me, but it mostly makes my heart race. I eventually bought some cheap Bluetooth earbuds I could pop in before changes. This allowed me to bob along to something catchy while our newborn screamed with the same intensity as someone having their arm sawed off.” — Chris B.  “I wrote raw, emotional, and transparent notes to my daughter Ellie. When I cried because I couldn’t find the joy of pregnancy, I wrote a note to Ellie. In times of self-doubt, low confidence, loss and isolation, I wrote a note to Ellie. And on the days when I discovered light, I shared our joys, our laughter, and my hopes and dreams for her as a note to Ellie. Over 200 notes later, I’m still writing notes to Ellie.”  — Carissa H.  “Zoloft. There was a point when I didn’t remember what ‘me’ felt like. I’d always been wary of medicine, but between the hormones, the year-long pandemic leading up to delivery and lack of sleep, I made the choice to try it. It made me feel like myself again.” — Rachel H.  “I had my third child in February of 2020. I was finally mentally prepared enough and experienced enough that I told myself I would enjoy this newborn period. We all know what happened next. Suddenly, I was home with three kids under five. My absolute lifeline during this time period were my friends. We texted every single day. Complaining, griping, laughing. Just texting about all of it. We would drop samples of things we’d been baking in each other’s mailboxes. Those texts and treats were the highlight of those days.” — Margo L.  Thanks for sticking with us! Watch this space for next week's episodes on:    💙 Autism  | 🗣️ How To Be Heard | ⛱️ Rethinking Laziness We love hearing from you. And we *love* hearing your random life tips. 📹 In fact, we love it so much we started testing out your tips in this new video series on Instagram. 📹 So send us a note at lifekit@npr.org or leave us a voicemail with a greeting, your name, phone number and your tip at 202.216.9823.   You could hear yourself in an upcoming episode or see your tip tested on NPR's Instagram account. Thanks for sticking with us! Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: LifeKit@npr.org Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Daily News, Code Switch, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Life Kit emails. 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