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:

1. Families are forced to slow down and spend time with each other

2. Siblings can learn how to play together

3. Families can have meals together

4. They can talk and listen to each other

5. Clean together – a great time to declutter the house

6. Watch movies, cook, exercise and listen to music

7. Spouses can spend time together – reconnecting

8. Pray, read and learn together

9. Catch up on past time

Some of the negatives are:

1. It can be difficult to be locked in the same space with others whom you do not want to be with

2. Spouses may feel tensed and frustrated with each other

3. Sibling struggle and fight

4. Worry about job loss

5. The financial burden for both parents

6. Added stress about the virus and the fear of being sick

7. Worry about the future – the fear of the unknown

8. The burden of working and homeschooling

9. Struggle with keeping a schedule

10. Tension with teenage children

11. Increase use of electronic – iPhone, iPad, computers

12. Hard to balance play and learn on the computer

13. Difficulty parenting and disciplining children

14. Increase stress and anxiety

15. The increase of child and family abuse - victims are locked up with their abusers

16. 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.