The Coronavirus, a.k.a. COVID-19, is a virus that is now rampaging through the USA and other parts of the world. This is a virus that spreads mainly from person to person through close contact (CDC says within about 6 feet apart) and through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. People who are at higher risk to not recover from this are older adults and people who have severe underlying chronic medical conditions, especially those that affect the immune system. As of this post there have been 4,661 and 85 deaths in the USA. Here is a list of some maps to show where it has spread and how many have been infected, died, or recovered.
We have been told to:
- Wash our hands diligently for at least 20 seconds with soap and water or disinfect them with hand sanitizer or rub with an isopropyl alcohol content of at least 60%
- Not touch our face
- Practice social distancing, not go out unless absolutely necessary and stay more than 3 feet apart from others (although CDC says 6 feet)
- Cough or sneeze into our sleeve/elbow so as to not spread germs in the air
- Stay home if we feel sick
This might make you anxious, stressed, or worried...or it might not depending upon how you feel about all this. In any case it has closed and shut down schools, workplaces, churches, and other places worldwide. We have seen cancellations of events and social gatherings all across the globe because of the need to contain and stop the spread of this pandemic. We have seen: people panicking, people hoarding items, stores with long lines and empty shelves. One of the best things you can do, instead of panicking, is to educate yourself so you are prepared.
What we also need to do:
- Take deep breaths when you are feeling negative. 3 of them slowly in and out. Try to focus on the positive.
- Eat healthy well balanced meals so you get the vitamins and minerals you need throughout the day. Make sure you eat a good breakfast because it is the most important meal to start the day with so you have the energy you need.
- Keep hydrated especially with water. Make sure you are getting your electrolytes too.
- Get enough sleep so you can rest your mind and body. Here are guidelines for how much sleep you need and some tips to help you sleep well.
- Get some exercise and stay active. Being cooped up in the home makes it a little more difficult to do this, but there are YouTube videos online that will help you find your groove.
- Get some fresh air if you can. If you are able go outside and walk around in nature. Take time to notice the beauty of it. If you have to be inside, open some windows and let the fresh air in.
I feel that if we all calm down and think of this in a more positive light we won't feel hopeless in these times. Worrying about things we cannot control fully just makes things worse. Relax and know that you are not alone in this struggle. We are in this together, even when we have to be apart.
Silver Lining:
- With more people working from home, schools and churches being closed, and events being canceled we have more free time to:
- strengthen family bonds with one another
- slow down and practice mindfulness, gratitude, kindness, generosity, and empathy
- take up a new hobby
- learn something new
- spend time outdoors
- check off to-do-lists
- think about what we are really thankful for and blessed with and what we've taken for granted
- The environment is now healing. Because of more people staying home there are less: vehicles on the roads, planes in the air, and travel in general. This equates to less air pollution. Just look at China: In direct response to the mandated lockdown in China the air pollution cleared up.
- Possibility of bringing back jobs and places from the past that might have been lost, for example: drive-in movies/theaters, drive-in restaurants, the milkman delivering milk, etc.
Here is a list of things that I am going to be working on:
- homeschooling 🏠🏫
- reading 📚
- making arts and crafts 🎨
- beadwork (we were gifted a huge amount of beading supplies from a friend) 📿
- learning heritage skills and self sufficiency skills 🧵 🧶 🧺 🏹
- doing science projects, STEM 🔬
- catching up on blogging 👩💻
- cooking healthy meals 👩🏻🍳
- baking (especially bread making) 🍞
- sitting down and eating meals as a family 🍽️
- making herbal remedies ⚗️
- deep spring cleaning and organizing the home and out buildings 🧹
- yard clean up 🍂
- cleaning up the garden beds and around the orchards 🥀
- planting 11 roses, mostly Floribundas 🌹 ✔
- planting seeds for veggies, fruit and herbs 🥬 🍅 🥕 🍆 🥒 🥝 🍉 🍈
- planting bulbs and seeds for flowers 🌷
- Growing microgreens and sprouts indoors 🌱
- permaculture and hugelkultur 🏡
- making a water feature and river rock bed ⛲
- foraging 🌿
- hiking ⛰️
- biking 🚲
- boating 🚣
- swimming 🏊
- dancing 💃
- building forts with the kids ⛺
- working out: aerobics, Yoga, or whatever exercise to get moving 🏋️♀️
- meditation 🧘♀️
- writing letters...be it snail mail or email (pen pals) 📫
- movie nights 🎥
- playing board games and card games 🎲
- puzzles 🧩
- photography 📷
- farm chores (we have horses, chickens, a goat, llamas, a mini pony, a bunny, and a dog) 👩🏻🌾
- listening to music 🎶
- practicing instruments (singing, guitar, violin) 🎻
- journaling 📔
- making a vision board 📋
- reading the scriptures 📖
- Come Follow Me 🙏
- Family Home Evening 👨👩👧👦
There are a lot of resources out there that can help you with the transition of being home and having kids home with you if you do not homeschool already and a lot of them are free or good priced as well. This great Facebook list has some other ideas that I do not have on my list that are very good ideas too and you can request the PDF from them with the links. There are also pages and groups online that have lots of ideas. If you are internet savvy there is lots to find, learn about, and experience from home. I will go into this more in a later post so stay tuned.
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