"He's never played with another child, patted a dog or had a chance to dig in the dirt," mum Michelle Daga wrote. Photo / Facebook
"He's never played with another child, patted a dog or had a chance to dig in the dirt," mum Michelle Daga wrote. Photo / Facebook
A Melbourne mum has written an emotional open letter to her son, who's just turned 1-year-old and has spent nearly half of his life in lockdown.
In the open letter, posted to Facebook, the mum explained that the boy, who had his first birthday last week, lives with mum anddad in an apartment in Melbourne and the family has been in lockdown for nearly six months.
Residents in Melbourne are currently only allowed to leave the house for four reasons and cannot travel further than 5km from their homes. A curfew is in place between 8pm and 5am.
"Isolated at home with mum and dad, for six months now, and counting," Michelle Daga, the boy's mum, wrote.
"He's never played with another child, patted a dog or had a chance to dig in the dirt.
"He's yet to meet most of his family, visit a shopping centre or spend a day in a playground.
"The only other faces he sees are hidden behind masks."
"He has no idea food grows on trees or sprouts from the earth, just that it arrives in bags and boxes, left by a man in a mask at the front door," she continued.
The boy turned one last week. Photo / Michelle Daga
The Melbourne mum says she knows her situation is not unique but says it's important to acknowledge everyone's challenges.
"There is nothing normal about living half your life in quarantine. There is nothing normal about parenting in a pandemic.
"And although I'm well aware things could be worse, this is far from easy.
"Millions of others are sharing this strange new reality with us every day.
"And I'm here to remind you you're not alone."
Parents from all over the world left comments on her open letter expressing their sympathy and support, as well as sharing their own experiences of parenting in lockdown.
"We are in Peru, and we have some restrictions too. We live in an apartment, and it's really hard to find a park nearby," one mother wrote.
"But we have some green areas, really small. My baby girl is turning one in a month too."
"My baby was born in March, just when the lockdown really came in force," another mum said.
"He's not had the chance to play with other babies, meet half of his family (we are in Melbourne and half are in Queensland)."
