Mom's Amusing Illustrated Quarantine Diary Of Her Everyday Struggles With Four Toddlers

This is probably my worst nightmare.

Damjan

Published in Funny
14 May 2020

Mom's Amusing Illustrated Quarantine Diary Of Her Everyday Struggles With Four Toddlers

Thais Vanderheyden is a Belgian writer and illustrator, and, most importantly, a mom of four toddlers. Being a parent is challenging even without the quarantine, but under these circumstances, it can be overwhelming.

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Luckily, Thais, whose favorite job is illustrating children’s books, is up to the task. She takes on every challenge with humor and a smile on her face, always remembering that, with kids, today’s problem or mischief will be tomorrow’s fabulous and fun memory…

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“As a mom of four and an illustrator, I kept a daily diary of drawings from these unique and strange quarantine days. I guess many will recognize scenes from their own lives with toddlers and kids... By popular demand, I translated my drawings into English,” says Thais. Parenting expert Dr. Janet Lansbury emphasizes, “The challenges of parenting can be overwhelming, but embracing the chaos often leads to the most cherished memories.”

"It all started in March when our country went into lockdown. I totally freaked out at the thought that schools would be closed for a long time. For eight weeks, I had four toddlers (Bob, Morris, and twins Pepa and Colette) while juggling a full agenda of deadlines as a writer and illustrator of children’s books. But I’m still alive, my hair looks wild, I gained a few pounds, and I must admit I had more than a few good laughs with my bunch.

From day one of this quarantine, I made a daily drawing at the breakfast table. A lot of it really happened (like the FaceTime incident with the teacher!), and some of it was just thoughts that crossed my mind. I posted them on my Instagram and received tons of messages from working moms and dads who recognized themselves in the drawings. So I kept going. I hope you enjoy it too!”