Covid-19 Summer Journal #01

Week 3 of stricter social distance measures in Hong Kong. Dex keeps asking to see his friends, E., our helper, is sick. It's mummy daycare all over again.

Three days ago E., our helper, asked if she could leave earlier. She was not feeling so well, a bit of a headache and bodyache. That was around 8 pm, and I was in the middle of writing so I only said: "Of course. Take care and get well soon."

E. is a live-out. She lives with another domestic helper 30 minutes away. The following day she texted us that she was coughing a bit but assured us that it was probably just a cold. She is most likely right, but we asked her to take a covid test ASAP and stay home until she got her test results.

It is a hassle for her and for us but we have to minimize the risk of Dex getting sick. If a child tests positive her/ his parents cannot accompany them to the hospital. They have to go through isolation all by themselves. For young children this can be devastating.

Since E. will only get her test results within 3 to 5 days, I will be without helper for over a week. Dex has not seen his besties for almost two weeks. This morning he asked me if we could go see Kat and Rika. "I miss them so much," Dex said with the kind of dramatic honesty only toddlers can muster.

The day we asked E. to get tested I came up with a rough teaching plan for Dex. I will post the teaching plan on a later blog article. Today we did ABC and phonetics, some numbers, pen holding, helping around the house, reading books and etiquette.

After his nap, we went to Starbucks to got a matcha latte without any sugar. He loves it and insisted he share 50-50. When we went back home we saw a dead light green butterfly on the ground.

"Look Dex, the butterfly is the same colour as matcha latte."

"Can I eat it, mommy?"

"No! I doubt that butterflies taste good."

"What if somebody cook it, mommy? Can I eat it then?"

And that was the highlight of my day.