What I’ve Learned about Motherhood during the Coronavirus Pandemic

The third in a collection of personal accounts written by Los Angeles moms in 2020, at the beginning of the global pandemic.

Photos by Rachel Carrillo

IRIS HOSEA

President, Festively

La Puente, CA

The beginning of quarantine filled me with so many emotions. At first I was dealing with the fear of the unknown and worried about the safety of my family. Then I became overwhelmed by the constant updates in the news and also the responsibility of my new title, mommy-teacher. The schools in our district did not have their virtual curriculums established in the first month, so we were on our own initially. 

 I soon realized I did not miss my calling as a teacher. But I discovered that my husband, who is a teacher, is a really good one. I have really enjoyed seeing the bond grow between my boys and my husband in a way that that wasn’t there before simply because of the constant running between work, school, home, extracurricular activities and a whole lot of other stuff. 

 While I’ve been home in quarantine, I’ve discovered my power to set the mood in the house. It’s fascinating how I have the power to keep the calm in my home or stir things up for fun with a few pranks here and there.

 My son Nicholas turned 6 while in quarantine. He woke up that morning singing happy birthday to himself because he has been waiting a whole year to become 6-years-old. I made him pancakes and the entire day was spent making him feel appreciated. If we were not in quarantine, I would have sent him off to school and he would have spent most of the day with his teacher and classmates. I also made his favorite chocolate cake, ordered birthday balloons in his favorite color and brought together friends and family on a Zoom call to sing happy birthday to him. He was so happy and felt so special. This time with him was precious for us all. 

 One of my favorite things is seeing the boys read stories in their pretend library. They have us sit around in the family room, as they roll out the big office chair and pretend they are the adult in the library, reading a book. They even pause and turn the book around to reveal the illustrations on the pages. This is such a cute thing for our family and the boys enjoy the attention from both parents at the same time.

 I wear many hats in business as the co-founder of Festively and at the same time wear many hats at home. COVID-19 has given me time with my family, time that I often miss because I am working, attending events, and trying to be a super mama. I admit, some days it gets really hard and other days I am filled with so many wins. Going through this with my family has me definitely thinking about ways to maintain these special moments and memories in our new normal. Because Festively is an online marketplace, my work will allow me to work from anywhere and more moments and memories with my family can be our new normal. 

Mommy in Los Angeles Magazine encourages local women to share their stories of Parenting in a Pandemic. We are gladly accepting submissions through 2021. We want to hear what you’ve experienced in Los Angeles during times of Coronavirus in your own words. Submit your essay to: info@mommyinlosangeles.com. Stay strong, L.A. mom. You matter. You’re always essential.

#EveryMomHasAStory