Vancouver Family Photo Shoot | Pandemic Parenting: Kristina’s Story

As part of our Pandemic Parenting creative photo shoot, Kristina shared her story as a first responder and mother, on the struggles her and her husband had trying to maintain a normal routine for their two beautiful girls while balancing work, lack of childcare and so much uncertainty. I’m sure so many families can relate to her story. Thank you for sharing your experience Kristina, I enjoyed capturing these fun family photos for you and your family!

Kristina’s Story

Living through the pandemic that started in early 2020 has been life changing in many ways for myself and my family. Both my spouse and I have full time jobs where we are needed at our employment, everyday. As a mom, raising Elementary aged children and working a full-time job as a first responder, life had taken a turn for the worse and we're faced with the unexpected. During this time, work was very demanding with the increase of mental health, domestic violence, and alcohol and drug use. The least to say, the time was petrifying for the most vulnerable individuals.

During Spring Break in 2020, parents were notified that elementary schools as well as high schools would be closed until further notified. As most parents, sending our children to school allowed us to work and live a life of routine. As my spouse and I were scrambling trying to find other means of childcare, we were fortunate enough to come up with a plan with our school district that allowed my children to be enrolled in school daycare at a nearby elementary school where they were taken full care of and the hours matched with my working schedule. The daycares in the elementary schools were run by educational assistants (EAs) and childcare workers (CCWs) who held full-time employment in local elementary schools. The Surrey School District along with the EAs and CCWs came together to form a daycare that allowed first responders to attend to their duties while their children were being cared for.

As working-class parents, we were very fortunate to have this offered to us where our young children were being taken care of daily and we could fulfill our duties by making sure individuals in the community were safe. As such, BC has come a long way from the pandemic, and we have strived to protect each other. I am proud to say that I was born and raised in BC and that I am grateful I have the privilege of raising my children in a country that stands with its people.