Learning To Give ‘Love Without Hugs’

When Jere Confrey moved to Austin a few months ago to be near her children and grandchildren, she didn’t count on the coronavirus pandemic keeping them all at a physical distance. Confrey, a retired professor of mathematics education, has been staying connected to her family in clever ways, like delivering baked goods by fishing pole. But she also wanted her grandkids to understand why staying socially distant is important, and how the coronavirus actually works.

“When the pandemic started.. it was very difficult because all of a sudden, we were sidelined in terms of being able to help care for the grandkids.”

“I wrote this book called ‘Love without Hugs.’ Its primary purpose is to reassure them that this distancing that we have to do, it’s not their fault, we still love ’em, and pandemics do end.”

“We are giving part of the proceeds to buying personal protective equipment for health care providers. Both my grown children here are doctors, and we really feel it’s essential.”

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