Hi everyone,
I spent much of this past weekend reflecting on my white privilege. I’ve never truly appreciated how easy my life has been. I’m grateful that I have felt so safe for most of my life.
I’ve always thought of myself as a decent human being who wasn’t racist. But this week has made me realize that I’m part of the problem. I have done nothing to help and I feel a load of guilt.
As a soon-to-be parent, I’m about to bring a white male into this world. I want to raise a kind, respectful, and empathetic feminist who is culturally and racially aware. I want him to grow up with people of all different colors and backgrounds.
Sam and I live in a predominantly white neighborhood. What are some ways we can ensure racial diversity in his life?
A Natural Childbirth
Nine months feels like forever, but with just under three months to go in pregnancy, I’m starting to appreciate that it’s nine months for a reason.
Besides the sheer volume of items to purchase and things to learn about bringing a child into this world, there is a lot of mental and emotional preparation that needs to take place.
In the first stage of pregnancy I simply could not imagine birthing a child, in the second stage I was terrified, and now in my third trimester, I feel like I’m getting ready for the championship game. Let’s do this.
The Long Haul
COVID-19 seems to have faded into the background as many people have been letting their guard down.
Some can no longer contain the pent up frustration after almost three months of quarantine. Others are lured by the gorgeous early summer weather. And there are many who understandably feel an obligation to protest racism and police brutality.
Not only do I worry about the safety of people protesting, I worry about their health being in such close proximity to one another.
I was going to lead with this story about our first socially distant gathering since quarantine began, but it felt almost silly.
It’s not silly. In light of everything, COVID-19 has not gone away. This pandemic is not over.
It was Memorial Day weekend, the weather was gorgeous, and the beaches and restaurants were recently reopened, so when Sam and I drove to our friends’ condo by the beach, it was a mob scene.
People everywhere, not socially distancing, not a mask in sight. It was unnerving.
We sat on the deck with their 4-year-old daughter and 2-year-old son. It was so nice to have an in-person conversation with friends, but it was stressful, too.
Hanging out with friends during these times is a slippery slope. No matter how good your intentions are, it’s difficult to follow the 6ft-distance protocol as time passes and you get more comfortable in conversation. Everybody seems healthy. How can this not be okay?
Two days later, I had a doctor’s appointment. The doctor told me that they expect to see a surge in positive cases since many people are letting their guard down. She said I need to remain diligent in my social distancing.
There doesn’t seem to be any instance of mom transferring COVID-19 to baby during birth, but if I have the virus when I give birth, I’ll have to quarantine for 14 days after he’s born. I can’t imagine being separated from my newborn child for the first two weeks of his life. I'll do whatever I can to prevent that.
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It’s been easy to cope with quarantine thus far because I always think about it on a month-to-month basis, but I thought this would be over by August, when the baby is due.
It’s definitely not going to be over by August.
Thinking long-term is a little more daunting. My mom wants to be here for the birth of her first grandchild. I certainly want her to be here, too. But she and my dad have not been quarantining because they both still leave the house for their jobs.
What precautions need to be taken in order for everyone to feel safe?
The Ickabog
My Twitter feed has been flooded with images and videos of riots and protests. There have been some positive moments, but also lots of anger and physical violence.
In the midst of the chaos, J.K. Rowling is doing something beautiful. Every weekday, she is releasing a few chapters online of a new children’s book called The Ickabog. She is also accepting children’s drawings to serve as illustrations for the book when it eventually gets released.
So my Twitter feed is also full of Rowling retweeting young children’s drawings with personal messages to each of them, telling them how wonderful their drawings are. Each retweet and message to a young child brings a smile to my face, and I am hopeful and optimistic for the next generation.
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Wishing you all love, safety, and good health,
Charlie