WMUB Report: pandemic parenting

Host: Disease can be a frightening thing for a family to experience. A family with an infant possibly have the greatest amount of worry surrounding sickness. Hello, I’m Noah Grant. With COVID-19 running rampant in our society rushing to adapt to it parenthood has acquired an entirely new layer of stress regarding the contagious virus. Today, I’m joined by Katelynn Collis, working new mom have an eight month old child who can tell us a little bit about the worry she has for her son. So tell me a little bit about your son if you don’t mind?

Guest: Well, he is eight months old. And he was a surprise to all of us. Surprisingly, and but ever since he was a surprise he’s, it’s been good. It’s been fun. I never imagined myself being a mom this young, right out of high school into college. But he actually saved me and he helped me do better in life. And I’m glad he he’s here and I’m glad I’m having he is a smiley as most funniest boy ever. You can ever meet like, you see him and as soon as he puts a smile on your face, especially if you’re having a bad day.

Host: You’re also a working parent; tell me a little about your job?

Guest: I work at a vet’s office called Pima Animal Hospital in Gray. I am a kennel tech. So I take care of the dogs, I let them out, feed them my clean around the hospital, but I also help vet techs if they need any and the receptionist if they need help going in and out asking about client’s dogs.

Host: Well as you do work, that means you can’t always be at home with your son, so does COVID-19 bring up any concerns or worries for your child that you hadn’t thought you would have before?

Guest: Yes, it does. I was diagnosed with this syndrome called Loeys Dietz syndrome. I thought it was just only in the girls, but now my son has it and so it’s a lot harder for him. And with COVID happening, it’s gonna be harder on his immune system than anybody else. So it’s kind of stressful. We don’t let him out and about with a lot of people just like family.

Host: So going off of that, what extra steps of you and your family taking to make sure that he has as little risk as possible?

Guest: We just keep him in the house. Don’t let anybody come over if they come over like family, and we make sure they wash their hands, and they are not sick. If they are sick, they cannot touch the baby.

Host: Do you have any words of encouragement or advice for other new moms out there during these scary times?

Guest: Just be yourself. Don’t be very, very worried. Because if you do that, then you’re going to stress out the baby and yourself. So just be cautious. But don’t stress yourself out about all of this things that are happening in the world.