Glory in loopy side of lockdown — one challenge at a time

From the 10 days of being a mom or dad challenge to one that involves knocking back a raw egg, South Africans are managing to find a bit of humour in a dire situation.

For mother of two Lisa Rae Mizen, who does not usually participate in challenges, the mom challenge — where you post a photograph every day of your children for 10 days without a description — caught her eye because being a parent in lockdown is not always easy.

The aim of the challenge is to nominate another mother each day to do the same.

“This challenge made me remember and appreciate special times with my babies,” Mizen said.

“Finding and posting these photographs took me back to a time where we got to enjoy the simple things in life, a time we generally took for granted.

“It is hard work being cooped up with a two-month-old and a two-and-a-half-year-old,” she said.

“But reflecting on these memories reminded me of how precious life is.”

For Riaan Marais, the challenge, this time from a father’s perspective, was equally rewarding.

“As frustrating and worrying as the lockdown has been at times, for our family it has also been a blessing,” he said.

“We now have the opportunity to spend quality time together and grow as a family and make new memories.”

Marais and his wife, Christelle, are expecting their second child.

“With our second child on the way, this challenge reminded me of all the things we have to look forward to again.”

He said each of the photos he posted represented a special memory for him and his three-year-old son, Charl.

“In these uncertain times, focus on the people who matter most so that when everything returns to normal you can look back and have some amazing memories to share when the next ‘being a dad challenge’ comes along,” he said.

Kim Lockem took on an entirely different challenge — one that requires you to swallow a raw egg.

And there can be no cheating because the entire process has to be filmed.

Once completed, you must nominate at least one other person to do the same.

Lockem said she had been nominated to complete the challenge by a good friend who never thought she would follow through with it.

The challenge involves drinking a raw egg, followed by a shot of sugar and finished off with a shot of hardtack alcohol of your choice.

It’s enough to make you want to gag — laugh your head off afterwards.”

The videos are posted on Facebook for all to see.

“Watching people happy for a slight 10 minutes made me happy,” Lockem said.

“It was an escape from the normal routine of waking up, looking after children, cooking and school work.”

She said the risk of contracting salmonella from the raw egg did not cross her mind.

“I just saw the fun in it. With everything else going on in the world, that was my last thought.”

Lockem said she had a weak stomach so her friends were most surprised when she completed the challenge.

“I would do it again with three tequila shots if I had tequila.

“Everyone in the world is so serious and depressed right now.

“Every Facebook post you see is how people are doing homework, exercising or baking banana bread.

“For me this was fun and exciting not knowing whether the egg was going to go down or come up again.

“It was clean fun without breaking the rules.”

Judy Riggien also braved the egg challenge.

Riggien said it was nice to see so many other people taking part in something so lighthearted and silly.

“A good friend nominated me and three out of the five people I nominated did it.

“I wasn’t too worried about the egg —  to be honest, I was more worried about drinking the shot at the end.”