My husband, Lateef, is my hero of the pandemic. Our family’s hero of the pandemic. I know it sounds corny, but a close friend of mine started referring to him as that whenever I mentioned something he did while we were all home sick with COVID. "Lateef, the true hero of the pandemic," she would say. It is hard for me to put into words how thankful I am for the way that Lateef took care of me and our children over the past few months. It was all the little things he did. He has been more than ...
Mom Life
What Can We as Black Mothers Do in the Face of Racial Injustice?
Friday afternoon I walked into the bedroom and my husband was wiping tears from his eyes after watching the video of George Floyd being murdered by the police. “I can’t concentrate on anything,” he said. We both spent most of Friday teary-eyed on and off and feeling like this is all just too much. Yesterday morning I woke up and texted three of my close black and brown friends - “We are all mothers of black boys. What are WE going to do??” What are we going to do in the face of all of this ...
Everything To Do In Los Angeles With Your Kids Right Now
Although in LA County we are under orders to wear face masks outside, over the past week, a lot has opened for Angelinos to start enjoying more outdoor activities. Our utmost priority right now is safety. But many are ready for a change of scenery from our neighborhood walks. And if you have children, you have also been trying to find ways to keep your kids active. The good news is, if we are safe and vigilant, we can venture out and get some much needed mental clarity in nature. Los Angeles ...
Watching Michelle Obama’s Becoming on Mother’s Day
This past Sunday was Mother’s Day. Mother’s Day is honestly a perfect holiday to have in quarantine. I don’t much like going out and braving the crowds for Mother’s Day. Alone time is all I crave. And some low key family time. I was able to sleep in until 10:00 am. Woke up, got a cup of tea and got back into bed for an episode of Belgravia (if you liked Downton Abbey, you will love this). Then, just a day in the yard relaxing while the kids ran around. Watching Michelle Obama's Becoming, a new ...
Ellington’s 4th Birthday in Quarantine
Ellington turned four this past Wednesday in the middle of the 2020 Coronavirus quarantine. Particularly because this has been a particularly tough period for our family (like many families!), I wasn't sure what to expect from a birthday during the quarantine. But it honestly turned out wonderful. Ellington is our sweet, sensitive, outgoing, inquisitive, silly little guy. He has been most affected of our two toddlers during this quarantine. Both by my being sick for so long and all the life ...
My Entire Family Survived COVID-19: Here’s What I Would Do Differently
I write this now from my bed, where for the last month I spent the majority of my time. This is the fourth week I have been sick with COVID-19 - not able to play with our kids, help my husband around the house or Zoom with family and friends because I have to save my breath. I am still reeling from my husband having to rush me to the ER with our kids in the backseat because I could not breathe and the stress of the severity and length of my symptoms. My family was all sick, at the same time, and ...