Dylan Dreyer is back on the Today show — albeit in an unconventional way.
Four months after she and husband Brian Fichera welcomed their second son together, Oliver George, the daytime series' third-hour co-host made a virtual return from maternity leave, video calling from her home on Monday amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
"The family is good. We are just getting this extra family time together," Dreyer, 38, told her co-anchors Craig Melvin, Sheinelle Jones and Al Roker. "When I went back with [older son Calvin Bradley, now 3] from maternity leave, I was a nervous wreck. I was just emotional, I didn't want to leave, and it was just all these things going through my mind."
"Now I'm here in my living room and the kids are in the next room, so it's really kind of a special way to come back from maternity leave, if there was a silver lining through all this," she continued. "But both boys are fantastic and Brian's pretty good too."
"It's certainly nice to be back — definitely a weird time," Dreyer added.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Today's Dylan Dreyer Believes Her Whole Family — Including Baby Oliver — Had Coronavirus
Dreyer opened up to PEOPLE for a recent issue about how she and her family were quarantining together at their New York City home after Fichera, 33, was diagnosed with coronavirus in April and immediately isolated in Calvin's room for two weeks until his recovery.
"We're getting more time together than I ever would've imagined," the mother of two told PEOPLE. "I would say that's the blessing in disguise of all this, just that we get so much family time. Sometimes it drives you crazy, but for the most part it's been great."
Like many parents in quarantine, Dreyer said she and Fichera have been on the clock 24/7 with the kids, as they don't currently have their babysitter. Additionally, Calvin's schooling is now being done completely over Zoom.
"Sometimes you just need a break," she added. "With the two kids, we're still adjusting. It's man-on-man defense. My husband and I just keep switching back and forth between which kid we're taking care of at the moment."
"It's a reality check," Dreyer said. "It's like, 'Wow, this is a lot of parenting.' "
As for her older child, Dreyer said, "Maybe I can get Calvin to do a half hour or an hour," of schooling, "and then all of a sudden he would much prefer the TV or the iPad."
"I can get him to do a couple things," she continued, noting that Calvin will "only sit there and do the class if I'm there sitting with him" and adding, "I'm cutting this and I'm doing that, and I'm trying to get him to pay attention to everything. It's tough."
Although homeschooling can be challenging, Dreyer is trying not to stress about it. "The teachers even say, 'Do what you can,' " she said. "There are going to be days they're not into it at all and there will be days they'll want to do it."
"This is new for everybody and it is a strange situation. So don't feel guilty if they're not sitting there all day doing this," she added.
As information about the coronavirus pandemic rapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from CDC, WHO, and local public health departments. PEOPLE has partnered with GoFundMe to raise money for the COVID-19 Relief Fund, a GoFundMe.org fundraiser to support everything from frontline responders to families in need, as well as organizations helping communities. For more information or to donate, click here.
Source: Read Full Article