The Problems of Self-Isolation with the Family: The Family Drama ? Some of the challenges of being confined at home:
Being with family and friends can be a wonderful experience, but it can be a nightmare for many. Before the COVID 19 virus pandemic, people were very busy, and they lived very different lives that may or may not include constant interaction with family members. Some individuals especially teens were already isolated in their rooms and parents did not have much to with them. Today we are mandated by governments and lawmakers to say home. This might have both negative and positive consequences for the family. Let us deal with the positive consequences of this stay at home policy:
Families are forced to slow down and spend time with each other
Siblings can learn how to play together
Families can have meals together
They can talk and listen to each other
Clean together ? a great time to declutter the house
Watch movies, cook, exercise and listen to music
Spouses can spend time together ? reconnecting
Pray, read and learn together
Catch up on past time
Some of the negatives are:
It can be difficult to be locked in the same space with others whom you do not want to be with
Spouses may feel tensed and frustrated with each other
Sibling struggle and fight
Worry about job loss
The financial burden for both parents
Added stress about the virus and the fear of being sick
Worry about the future ? the fear of the unknown
The burden of working and homeschooling
Struggle with keeping a schedule
Tension with teenage children
Increase use of electronic ? iPhone, iPad, computers
Hard to balance play and learn on the computer
Difficulty parenting and disciplining children
Increase stress and anxiety
The increase of child and family abuse - victims are locked up with their abusers
Lack of space to be alone without having noisy children in every room
These are some of the challenges and benefits of being at home with children. This has become our new reality and we did not have time to prepare for it. We must change our mindset to help us navigate through the streets of the unknown world. We must understand that no one has the answer right now. This is very new, and we will have trials and errors in the process. We know that humans are very resourceful, intelligent and resilient. This will be another virus and time that will be written in the history book. We should take this time to find peace and comfort for our souls. Do something that you enjoy or try to find something that you can enjoy. There is nothing that we can do about this situation, but we can choose to be content and grateful in every situation. 10 years from today we will be sitting around the table, campfire or bar and talk about our experiences. Let?s make it a pleasant one despite the fear and worry in the world.