“Being a solo dad, for me what was most difficult was when they announced the closure of schools. I felt completely helpless. I have sole custody of my daughter and I have no one around to take over from me. I wondered how I was going to do it. Fortunately, immediately, I received messages from other solo parents, friends, who suggested that we organize ourselves, that we keep our children for each other. And then very quickly came the announcement of confinement.
The question no longer arose: we had to find our way of functioning by staying at home. I am extremely lucky: my daughter is very independent and she loves school. So in the morning, we log in to see the homework to do and my daughter does her exercises on her own. She asks me very few questions and I manage to work alongside. When she wants to talk to me and I am with a client (I am a notary’s assistant) I signal to her that I am not available and she waits.
Her teacher is very active: if the site does not work, she gives us the exercises on facebook. The last time, she did a live with instruments to entertain us! Frankly, I take my hat off to him! Of course, what is difficult is no longer seeing our friends, with whom we often have parties and dinners. We make video calls, but it’s not the same. I still tell myself that we are lucky: we live in a house with a large garden, in the countryside, we could be in an apartment, it would be more difficult. What worries me now is if the lockdown lasts beyond this summer. I promised my daughter a camping holiday two years ago, she is looking forward to it! I hope we can leave anyway. In the end, as we both manage to work while staying at home, I even have the impression that we have gained a little in quality of life! “