How I aced my daughter’s expectation in a Pandemic world

Life surely stood stand still when the news flashed about a pandemic looming all over our country. The threat is real, invincible, terrifying and it scared me, made me anxious. While the flaring rise of covid cases even swelled in our city me and my wife also became worried. But what pained me more is when I could see my four-year-old daughter being very quiet, she seldom played with her toys as she missed her friends, her school. She even missed going out to eat her favourite burger and I found myself being devoid of excuses as why we couldn’t go out. Imagine the horror of explaining about a pandemic to a four year old. Her isolation made me think how as a father I could create a positive atmosphere in the house.

Soon enough I browsed the internet searching options for making the best burger. I didn’t want to trouble my wife as she too was busy with her office work. Quietly I planned a restaurant experience for my daughter and wife both.  Honestly this was my first hand so on experience in the kitchen for restaurant style cooking, well not because of my gender but because I actually never got the time to indulge in gearing up my cooking skills. My cooking endeavour started with making baking bread buns, slicing the veggies, a bit caramelizing the onions and a omelette patty to go in between along the cheese slices. Perfectly laying down the table with cartoon characters based linen I also dabbled into making my daughter’s favourite strawberry shake.  That evening as I served the hand tossed burgers to my daughter.

I could see her thrill, her joyous laughter amidst her crooked teeth while she sipped her favourite strawberry shake. My wife too was incredibly surprised at my efforts.

Then the next day itself I made a makeshift playground at our balcony for my daughter.  I dressed myself as one of her favourite super heroes Spiderman, surprising her outright. We both enjoyed the moment cheering loudly. I could almost feel relieving my own childhood with her. Taking advantage of this lockdown I educated my daughter some self defence techniques who was more than willing. Surprisingly it cured me of the incessant back ache problems which I used to suffer earlier.

Since my wife is an environment enthusiast, the idea of creating a kitchen garden has been long dwelling in her mind.  Both my daughter and me are helping her in procuring seeds, some homemade bio fertilizers, planting saplings.  As a family this gardening gives us ample scope of spending quality and constructive time together. Also the joy of constructing something beneficial for our environment certainly is a welcoming, positive feeling. Amidst this pandemic also I have evolved more in a humane way, trying ways to spread sunshine to my family and our society.