{"id":259,"date":"2022-03-26T14:13:48","date_gmt":"2022-03-26T21:13:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/essential\/?page_id=259"},"modified":"2022-05-18T11:28:45","modified_gmt":"2022-05-18T18:28:45","slug":"dolores","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/essential\/dolores\/","title":{"rendered":"Dolores"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

En espa\u00f1ol<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

Dolores<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Chatting with the owl<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s like they came to us, all the \u2013 like a higher charge came to us.  Like it was an obligation, as one\u2019s obligation is to work hard during that time.  <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

About My Picture<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When the parents would arrive in the mornings, they had to be wearing their masks.  Coming in the door, they \u2026 I have a bottle of rubbing alcohol and a bottle of hand disinfectant.  And so as soon as they arrived, they would take the bottle to disinfect their hands and to be able to sign.  So, while I was bringing the kids to wash their hands, they were signing. Besides signing, they had to disinfect their hands again, and they would use the rubbing alcohol to clean the latches on the doors, on the way in and the way out, and I have a trash can out there they could use.  So I think that that was very helpful, because the epidemic didn\u2019t come to me here.  But yes, well, yes, it is a lot of stress because one doesn\u2019t know where the parents are coming from.  And as I was saying, you know, the kids chat to you, no, \u201cwe went here\u201d and \u201cwe went there.\u201d  So the situation,\u2026 I would put [the supplies] out there for them, I put out the COVID brochures, the instructions, and I recommended to them that, if they spent time with people that weren\u2019t from their house, that they needed to tell me, because, well, for the good of the other kids and of us ourselves.  It was a constant conversation, and yes, well, it\u2019s stressful, because it\u2019s more of the work that one has to do to keep working.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Our Interview with Dolores<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Dolores, who has run her in-home center for 23 years, described adjusting to the Covid situation as \u201cshocking,\u201d because she could not provide support and affection in the usual way. \u201c\u2026It was a strict situation\u2026the morning hug, they want a kiss for teacher, they want to be tickled\u2026they give each other hugs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dolores explained social distancing procedures as safety-based and in terms that the children \u201ccould understand\u2026but without making them feel fearful of the situation.\u201d She found, however, that her efforts were \u201c\u2026not all that effective,\u201d and she felt that instead of being able to offer physical affection and comfort as she had in pre-pandemic times, \u201cthere [I was] with the disinfecting towelette.\u201d During this period, Dolores observed the children as saddened, \u201cin the way they play[ed] and the way their characters change[d].\u201d Instead of chatting with her or other children, Dolores noticed the children occasionally sharing their feelings with a stuffed owl armchair.  She said, \u201cI had to be cleaning it all the time because they would go over there to chat with the owl, about how they were feeling.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dolores said she sensed things were beginning to return to normal while acknowledging the stress of working during the height of the pandemic. \u201cIt\u2019s like, I don\u2019t know, it feels different, a little like\u2026we do need a break.\u201d She found talking with the interviewer to be \u201creally great\u2026this kind of interview of how we feel during the time of the epidemic\u2026that\u2019s very good, it was relaxing to talk with you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From full interview transcript of 2,499 words<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

Dolores<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Platicando con el b\u00faho<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Como que ya se nos vinieron todos los – como que se vino una carga superior a nosotros.\u00a0 Como si fuera la obligaci\u00f3n, pues la obligaci\u00f3n de uno es estar trabajando duro en ese tiempo<\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n