What Is Your Favorite Summer Activity In Quarantine?

It's been hard to convince my children to get moving!
Who else have this problem?

Summer has just started so I have given my children a 2 week grace period before I establish a summer schedule. Until then we are free styling it!

We have been at this quarantine life for 4 months now, we have done a lot of activities together. Now that the weather has changed and the parks are open we are getting out more.
We also enjoy swimming in the privacy of our own backyard. I pretty much like to enjoy the fresh air with my family. Swimming and walking in the park is a perfect time to enjoy some fun in the sun.

I also like to fill the cooler up with sodas and water, pack some lunch and head to the park. Lunch in the park with my family on a sunny but breezy day is my cup of tea.

What Is Your Summer Plans In Quarantine?

I have no concrete plans for the summer because of quarantine.
I am just making up activities  for my family on the go.
We are being spontaneous because in quarantine you have to be.
Although, everything is uncertain the fun doesn't have to be.
Whatever you do I am sure it will be a fun and safe summer for your family.

Here Is What I Did This Weekend!

So summer is here and we are free but not totally free.
We are free from homeschooling, but still not totally free to go everywhere because of the Global Pandemic.  A few places have opened in the state of New Jersey, but there are a lot of places that are still closed. Beauty salons, nail salons, dinning in restaurants and also some doctors offices are still closed. We are still walking on uncertain ground and need to be cautious. The upside is that the weather is great. The sun is shinning, flowers are blooming and the breeze is blowing. It is a perfect day for a walk in the park. The time is always right for some fresh air. I take my mask for safety, and that is all that I need.


Family Day Out!

It was great to get out and enjoy the sunshine with my family. We visited Liberty State Park. The scenery is amazing and sharing the experienced with my family is awesome. Everyone took part in this excursion even my dog had a blast. My dog was smiling from ear to ear. Look at his picture below, isn't he cute!? I am enjoying every moment with my family. Wishing you and your family a happy and sunny summer.

I Have Been Emotional Lately!

Parenting is a tough job and honestly sometimes we don't have all the answers to navigate through this process. The last couple of weeks has been very hard for me, because I had to come to the realization that I can't create a perfect circumstances for my children. I would like for everything to be perfectly laid out for them, but I am in a fight against the rest of the world. The recent developments of police brutality and the protests has created a big shift in the black community. This has been a trying time for me as a black woman and as a mother of black children.

I would like for my children to be safe and to feel same at all times. In raising black children in today's climate it makes me anxious and scared. It's heart wrenching that I have to sit them down and have difficult conversations about how the world  may view them, and even more heart wrenching that I have to tell them what not to do to appear threatening. Furthermore, I have to counsel them on how to keep themselves safe from racism when in public. This is a very difficult time for parents everywhere who are raising black children.

Feeling Powerless: A Mother's Cry

I am feeling powerless and scared but at the same time I know that I have to be strong. I feel powerless to the point of desperation, it makes my stomach tremble to think about another innocent black life being taken. That could be anyone's child, brother, sister, father or mother. Every time I turn on the television or log on to social media, I see yet another video of a black life being taken. The thought of someone hating another based on the color of their skin is just very unreasonable to me. "How could you hate me, when you don't even know me." I have been through every emotion in the last few weeks. I have been angry at the hate that I have experienced and seen. It has been sad to see how my black people have been treated. I have also been scared, especially for my black children. We are a black family and it scary to know that there isn't a place on this earth where we can go to escape racism. 

A Shift In Power

I have seen a lot of injustice in my lifetime, but I have also seen a lot of hope. People of all colors coming together to help end hate and injustice in our country. There is a shift happening and I have faith that I will live to see the end of racism on a global level. I want a world that my children and their future generations can live in peace and not live in fear. I am taking back my power by choosing to stand up for justice and promote love. I am raising my children to stand up for justice, and to love themselves and others. I am doing my part as a parent and as a citizen, if we all do our part we can make a difference. 

Family Staycation In Quarantine!

We will be here for a while...

Community pools and recreation centers are closed this summer and summer camp will only meet virtually. Summer school is also virtual for students who have to attend. This summer will be very different and interesting to say the least. The up side is that the city will have a few sponsored events for families that are looking for safe activities to do.

While the state and my city is slowly opening, it is clear that we will not be going away on vacation. I had plans with one of my teens to volunteer in our community this summer. It is not safe to do any of the above, because nationally and globally we are still recovering from the Corona Virus. We are living in a new normal and we are trying to adapt to our new way of life. This spring and going into summer we have been making improvements to our yard. Our mission is to create a relaxing outdoor space for our family. We added flowers and landscaping to create a beautiful atmosphere. A fire pit and a pool, are  a few toys for entertainment that we brought in for the summer activities. We are bringing the vacation to us, in this case our "staycation".

We will also visit the parks and have takeout by curbside pick up. This weekend we did a test run to the get ice cream and that seem to go well. All the customers were wearing masks and practicing social distancing. Maybe that is something we can do again during the summer. I am doing the best for my family and I know that you are too.