Mark Silveira was not happy when his world, due to COVID-19 concerns, went into lockdown. Owner of two Flawless Cutz barber shops (Fall River, Somerset), a landlord and an assistant pastor at Victory Church in Tiverton, the Westport resident was a busy man, the family's sole provider, with bills to pay.
But even before Gov. Charlie Baker announced stay-at-home in late March, Silveira had sensed that he was, perhaps, a tad too busy. He had been praying to God for a way to be able to spend more and higher quality time with his family – wife Desiree and children Alana, 8, Jackson, 5, and Alivia, 2.
The pastor admits, “I didn’t know God could answer prayers in such unorthodox ways.”
Governor decrees shut down his barber shops for two months. It also turned loose a man passionate about daddying.
“I would say I’ve never been closer to my family,” Silveira said on Friday between haircuts. “It’s a new level of closeness. It was answered prayer. I got to spend every day with my wife and children. Not to say I didn’t know (the children) before, but it’s just different. I saw their personalities shine even more.
“A negative situation, and so much positive came out of it.”
The director of athletics and head football coach at Joseph Case High School in Swansea, Anthony Palladino, thanks to shutdown of schools and his wife’s essential worker status in the medical field, has lived a new life these last three months, at home with son Mason, 4, and daughter Abigail, 9 months.
“It has definitely been a change of pace,” the North Providence, R.I., resident said in an email. “I have always been on the go, but I have shifted to stay at home dad. … There have been good days and tough days but I am lucky to spend time I wouldn’t normally get to with them. Entertaining a 4-year-old all day is difficult at times but I have become a diaper changing expert.”
Dad is proud to announce that his son has happily assumed important roles during stay-at-home.
“Mason loves helping with anything,” Palladino said. “He has also become our lookout for the Amazon truck that comes daily. My son is a little version of me, so I am sure we are getting on each other’s nerves at times. My daughter has me wrapped around her finger already and sometimes I have to remind myself my son is only 4 and not 10.”
Nick Freitas, social studies teacher and head football coach at Somerset Berkley Regional High School, hasn’t had to officially become a Mr. Mom. His wife is also an SBRHS teacher.
But the last three months have been unlike any other in his life. Those home projects which he would habitually leave at 85 percent complete before moving onto the next one, are now getting done, helping maintain his wife’s sanity. More importantly, he’s been able to observe his children, Stellah, 9, and Emmett, 4, like never before.
They “have become more attached to each other,” Freitas said in a text. “I am grateful they are young enough to still have imaginations to play games and stay active outside. My son yearns for the rainy days so he gets to use the Kindle (only time they are allowed to play them).
“Pluses are I think the time has allowed us a chance to slow down and enjoy life more regularly. Big negatives is that I miss my students, my football players, and the weight room.”
Part of the Freitas’ outdoor life involves ducklings purchased a month ago. Freitas said the children were legitimately excited to paint the coop, for about five minutes. They are responsible for letting the ducklings and the longtime resident chickens in and out of their coops, and Emmett is responsible for collecting the eggs.
“They both like to help which makes any project 3 times longer lol,” Freitas said. “Stellah usually is a great help and Emmett has his moments. They were sick of me before the lockdown, lol. They have good places to hide! Discipline and structure has been more consistent, still trying to get them to pick up after themselves though... I've been working on this myself for almost 40 years.”
A Diman Regional social studies teacher, Nick Santos two years ago stepped down as boys’ basketball and track and field coach “so I could spend more time with Olivia, 12, and Violet, 7.”
That precious family time, of course, received a boost this spring. “The biggest challenge,” the Swansea resident said in a text, “has been helping the girls with their work while running my own classroom online. … The girls have resumed dance and softball this week so that has been good to return to a routine.”
For B.M.C. Durfee High School vice principal and head football coach Taylor Brown, the stay at home has given him a new perspective on the family dynamic.
"Lockdown has made me realize that my wife is a superhero and has given me a greater appreciation of what she does for our family every day," he said in a text. "It has been difficult to balance the kids while trying to be productive at the same time during your regular scheduled work day, especially when you have kids the ages of 14 years, 5 years, and 11 months.
"Lockdown has been different for me as well as my kids. We are a family that is usually on the go all the time with football and baseball but we all had to slow down for a minute. It has given me and my family an opportunity to slow down and get to appreciate one another and also has given us the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors. (Taylor Jr. caught his biggest fish yet during the pandemic).
"The negative piece to this is that my kids and a lot of others were stripped of their spring and summer seasons."
Though not a Greater Fall River resident, Anthony Field of the internationally famous Australian children's song-and-dance group The Wiggles, has a solid regional connection as a two-time guest on this reporter's Ten from the Line video series. The lone founding member of The Wiggles still performing regularly, Field is the father of three and has embraced his extra parenting opportunities this fall (remember, it's Down Under).
"Been great as a dad," he said in a Twitter message. "Bike riding with the kids, driving them around, eating dinner together..... wow , what a positive flow on from the terrible virus. Negatives .... too much time to eat and maybe have a tipple or two!"
Email Greg Sullivan at gsullivan@heraldnews.com. Follow him @GregSullivanHN.