b'LIFESTYLE Superheroes need help too!LIFESTYLE Moms struggle to meet COVID demandsBy Tameka Kenan-NormanMan may work from sun to sun, but aThe vast difference started when the Simpsonville, SC womans work is never done.resident was laid off from her job prior to the start ofthepandemic,butherdispositiondidnotfalter. The latter part of this phrase may be a little clich,She remembers telling herself that this layoff would butitringstruenowmorethaneverinaCOVIDprovide an opportunity to learn something new. world. Women, who are often thought of as superheroes, areThe mother of a 38-year-old, tradingtheirpowersuitsforshe and her husband were sweats.Meetingspreviouslysuddenly thrust back into heldintheboardroomareparenthood two years ago nowinthehomeofficeorwhen they were appointed maybeevenatthedinneras the custodians of her table, and a report that onceniece and nephew, ages 3 required their full attention isand 7.With the advent of being wedged between virtualCOVID, Henderson-Grant learningandindependentfound herself without a job. studytimewiththekids.Although she had taken And,thatsiftheyareonethe courses to receive an ofthefortunateones.Manyinsurance license and was women have renounced theirawaiting the final exam, all careers to meet the demandsthe testing sites remained of parenting, or lost their jobsclosed due to COVID.as a result of the pandemic. Now Henderson-Grant, a self-proclaimed social Regardlessofthesituation,womenarestilltryingbutterfly, was a stay-at-home mom, watching two toweartheirsuperherocapesforthefamily,butchildren 24 hours a day.transitioning into several roles throughout the day of employee, boss, wife, mommy, teacher, friend and/orWehadtohomeschoolthem,saysHenderson-caregiver is too rigorous for even the most optimisticGrant. That alone was very difficult. The three-year-persontobear.And,theadditionaldevastatingold is very active-as you expect any three-year-old to impacts of the pandemic add fuel to an already ragingbe.Wewerequarantined,andmynewnormalwas fire.JustaskAngelaHenderson-Grant.Theoncewith the children non-stop, all day, every day.vivacious mother and wife changed drastically. Grant can recall the conversation she had with Pastor We had to Homeschool Them Thomas E. Simmons after the death of her father in ThehappypersonthatIwas;IslowlysawmyselfAugust from COVID.I dont know how much more goingintoadepression,recallsHenderson-Grant.Icanmanagewithoutbreakingdowncompletely, Imalwayshappy,alwayssmiling,butlittledidremembers Grant.anybody know I was literally dying inside.28IMARA'