Social Distancing Has Put My Bond With My Toddler First

‘Founder’ and ‘father’ are not mutually exclusive, even during the coronavirus lockdown

He didn’t want to take a nap so we ended up making him “glasses” like mine. Photo courtesy of the author.

Of all of the hats I wear, “Dad” is my favorite.

I’m writing this essay as my son watches Toy Story 4. My workday productivity is down to probably 40% of normal, so I’m mixing in more evening and naptime hours to get my work done. If you find yourself in a similar boat, don’t beat yourself up.

Over the past week, while we’re all social distancing to flatten the curve of the coronavirus outbreak, I can say with confidence that childcare is worth much more than the $1,100 my family pays per month (not including babysitters). Like many working parents, I’m scrambling for ways to keep my 3.5-year-old son safe, entertained, and engaged — while still trying to be productive at work. Thanks to Twitter (I start a lot of sentences this way), I crowdsourced a bunch of options, activities, and resources to keep him both occupied and happy.