Being under quarantine has been hard for all of us! Somedays we have good days, and some days are harder than other days. We have been under quarantine since March 12, 2020, my children haven’t had school and I have been off work since March 13, 2020. My husband is home because he recently had surgery, so we are all here together! And like any family there are days when we are 100% vibing with each other, then there are those days when we want no parts of each other (you go in your corner and I go in mine)!
My family thrives on routines, my children like to know the daily routine a day ahead of time (no surprises). Each night my husband and I are asked the famous question, “what do we have tomorrow”…this routine came from Emma because she is that child that loves her routines and schedules. But DJ has adopted this method as well. We have a family calendar with our events on it, however, with being under quarantine things have been different and for the first couple of weeks, there wasn’t a routine. Darrick and I were waking up showering, feeding the kids, then basically trying to stay sane during the day, not because our children are hard to take care of but because this was a lot to adjust to. We love being home together watching movies, and enjoying family time but to be told to stay home has been challenging!
5 Things My Family Does During Quarantine to Reduce Anxiety
- Take Naps-this is for multiple reasons…LOL! DJ still needs a nap from time to time or he’s known to start acting a little crazy. Even if it’s only an hour, he needs it but being home together, we all need it. After lunch, and a half-day of distance learning we all need a break! I usually take my nap on the couch, the kids go to their room and Darrick usually starts in the bed, then comes on the couch with me! It’s a much-needed break, we wake up and are refreshed and we tackle the second half of our day together.
- Eat Lunch and Dinner Together-For most the kitchen/dining area are usually the center of the home, and our home is no different. We have some of the best conversations at the table while we are eating. During this quarantine time, its important to sit and listen to your children. Eating dinner together is something we have done before being at home, but it has increased and I must admit its one of my favorite parts of the day!
- Have daily family game time, watch a movie or TV Show together-We are “homebodies,” we have games, we have movies and we have a list of our favorite tv shows we watch together. However, we make it a point to watch one of our favorites daily or play a game together. Initially, this started as a way to have fun with the kids, however, it now serves as a way for Mommy and Daddy to keep our minds off of events that are happening in the “real world.”
- No Structure Hour (At Least an Hour…Sometimes Longer)- Emma’s in school from 9-12, I give DJ work to do during that time as well since his teacher hasn’t really been sending school work. While the children are during school work, I take the time to answer emails and start my “hours” for my workday. After we are all done, I make sure the kids get time to play and do their own thing with no structure. We aren’t monitoring screentime, or how loud the kids get as long as it isn’t disruptive! This gives us all a chance to just be!!!!
- Enjoy the Outdoors-My husband has taken the lead on making sure we all get out of the house for a walk! When we first learned we were going to have to help with distance learning, I told him he was the Physical Education teacher and he has accepted the challenge and ran with it. Even on days when we really don’t feel like moving, he gets us all moving!
A lot of us have been spending time on social media while we are in quarantine. And for a while, the message for this time during the quarantine was to make sure you’re taking time to start a side-hustle or focus on your side-hustle. The message is never to relax and make sure you’re reducing your anxiety and the anxiety of your family. My message today is to try as much as you can to enjoy this time with your family. These are unprecedented time (seems like we’ve heard that A LOT), but let make sure we take time daily to enjoy time with your healthy family!
