It’s hard to write about or think of anything else besides Covid-19 right now. News flows in hourly, and at the moment, my family will have to self-quarantine for 14 days on return from Miami. The thought of this actually makes my heart soar. Time is a gift. Togetherness is an even bigger one. But avoiding the pitfalls of endless gaming in a dark basement will be imperative. Here is my plan to come out of Coronavirus avoidance with deeper connections and enhanced knowledge.  This is my two cents on how to guide your family through self-quarantine.

Imposing an external structure in daily life is critical. And also efficient. I spoke with one mom who home-schools her kids and she said that they can do a whole year’s curriculum in three months. Think of how much guilt you will avoid if you get some exercise and deeper learning all before noon! The video game marathon in the afternoon won’t feel so bad.

1. We are going to learn to speak another language more fluently. I’ve lost much of my German and French, and as a family, we will sign up for Rosetta Stone or Duolingo and have a go.
2. Virtually tour a museum. The British Museum, Guggenheim, National Gallery (Washington), Musee D’Orsay, National Museum of Modern Art (Seoul), Pergamon, Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh, Getty, Uffizi, MASP, and National Museum of Anthropology all offer virtual tours.
3. Apple has amazing free programs and apps like Everyone Can Code, Swift Playgrounds, and Everyone Can Create.
4. Many education companies are offering free subscriptions due to school closings.
5. Show the kids all of the classic movies they need to see: Slapshot, Grease and ET come to mind.
6. Brush up your Shakespeare. Watch three classics per week, and the whole world around you will make more sense. The Guardian has a great article on the best of the best versions.
7. Start every morning with an interpretive dance party where you take turns being the DJ.
8. In lieu of the gym, try some yoga. Yoga Anytime and Gaia have apps to guide your practice.
9. I did an article on boredom busters that you may find helpful.
10. Now could be a great time to teach kids some ‘adulting’ skills – changing a tire, checking the oil, sewing on a button, making a cream sauce.
11. If you are into Broadway, Playbill did a great piece on stage musicals you can watch from home.
12. The Metropolitan Opera is offering nightly live streams!
13. Peloton is offering their awesome app free for 90 days for workouts!

Yes, times are challenging and scary. But worldwide pollution is down, countries are coming together and there are a few silver linings. Remember to get your news through reputable sources, keep growing, check on others who may need assistance and cherish the time together.

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