Meet the Unraus. Joe is a technical assistant for Manitoba Hydro and Sherry is a healthcare aide at the Heritage Life Personal Care Home in Niverville. They have four children, Ashley, Hailey, Ryan, and Kelsey.
For this busy family, a typical week is full, with something up every single evening.
“Ryan has jujitsu Monday, Hailey has soccer Tuesday, Ashley has youth Wednesday, the girls and I have Girl Guides Thursday, and Friday is swimming for the older three,” explains Sherry. “Ashley also has soccer either Tuesday or Thursday and Saturday is a soccer game for both older girls in the city, usually in opposite directions.”
If that wasn’t busy enough, the family just returned from a trip to Mexico—a gift from Sherry’s father. This meant the family of six had to go straight into isolation when they returned to Manitoba. For at least fourteen days, life as they knew it has come to an abrupt halt.
“Not only have all the activities stopped, we can’t even get our own groceries,” Sherry says.
While she admits the situation has been inconvenient, the family has also been able to view their isolation period as a blessing. It’s an opportunity to see how education can be found in everyday life—not just in a classroom.
“The unexpected benefits have been seeing how much the kids can get along. The sleepovers and giggles are music to a parent’s ears,” she says. “[We have] no schedule. Schoolwork will get done. For now, it’s been school of life. Kids have been baking and cooking—home economics. Going outside for play, that’s recess and Phys Ed. Deciding how long each sibling has been playing a game and when the next can play, that’s math.”
Sherry notes there will be more routine once she and Joe return to work.
But she’s also concerned about returning to work. As a healthcare aide, she is very worried about the impact of COVID-19 on the elderly.
“I’ve missed my residents. They are the loneliest age group and now they can’t even have physical visitors,” says Sherry. “We become like family and we are the ones that are there for them. Also, my dad is 73, so I’m worried about him, especially since I lost my mom a couple years ago.”
While candid about her worries, Sherry also encourages people not to give in to fear.
“While this is an unknown time, stressing about it won’t help. Enjoy your families. Have fun. Make this a time they will remember fondly instead of a time of fear.”
