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What have been your biggest challenges in being home?

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Do you have kids at home? Are you having to participate in their schooling or are they pretty independent?

Has your work laid you off or furloughed you? Or are you now working at home for the very first time?

Are you having to prepare more meals at home than you have for years and years? Have you found yourself using paper plates more often or maybe running the dishwasher constantly?

Do you find yourself hiding in the closet or maybe the bathroom, just to get a moment alone and away from your spouse or your roommate or your kids?

Have you found a place to spread out for work? Or to work on projects? A place that you don’t have to clean up every time you do something else?

I’ve had to move my office back into my bedroom as we have moved around to accommodate everyone in the house now.

Or maybe your a retiree and finding something new to do around the house has become a challenge…the libraries are closed, so no new books, the craft stores are closed so no supplies or classes to take, and no trips to take or even look forward to for the time being?

Or are you…

On the other side, are you finding new things to learn and try? Reading books you have on hand or maybe checking out new books online?

Maybe you’ve signed up for a new online course? Free or paid?

Have you picked up hobbies you set down years ago? Watching YouTube videos to try some home improvement DIY projects?

I keep seeing that meme floating around talking about if you don’t come out of this quarantine with a new skill, new side hustle, etc. then it wasn’t time you were lacking…yada, yada, yada. What are your thoughts on that? Are you preparing yourself for a new beginning with this current state of affairs ends? Or are you assuming that the world will go back to “normal?”

 

 


12 Comments

  • Reply Meghan1227 |

    Not having a 2-3 hour commute each day since I am allowed to work full-time remote has me baking a lot more lately. Probably a bit too much as far as my waistline is concerned, but I had forgotten how much I enjoy it! And it is fun for my kids to join me in the kitchen.

    I work in an industry where business has actually picked up significantly with what is going on in the world, but I still find myself with more ‘free time’ that I think is related to not having the stress of commuting in a major metro area.

    • Reply Hope |

      I’m so glad you are getting this “free” time while maintaining your day job. And having the kids in the kitchen is one of the things that I have always enjoyed. And now they are all great cooks in their own right.

      I think this time will show us how “working from home” can be a viable option for many businesses who disparaged it.

      Feel free to send me some of that baking…Princess is the baker in our house. She’s made brownies or cookies almost every day. Thankfully that’s one of the things I don’t have trouble resisting.

  • Reply Margann34 |

    My house is a mess because the kids are home all day. The food is all gone because the kids are home all day. I’m Thankful that my husband and I are both still working but that means the kids are home alone most days. We do go home for lunch to check on things. I am also able to telework some days. And I think we finally have a schedule of sorts including school work, chores, craft time, outdoor time and tv/game time. Overall, the biggest challenge is that the kids are bored.

    • Reply Hope |

      Oh, I can relate to this. My kitchen never seems to be clean anymore. I go to bed with a clean kitchen and wake up with the dishes from the late night baking or snack sessions. Ugh!

      And no matter how much I say “clean up after yourself”…well, you get the point. Now I’ve stopped stressing about it and just wake them up when I get up if there’s a mess.

      I think you will find that having a schedule of sorts at least will help with the stress of having everyone at home. Best of luck to you!

  • Reply Lisa |

    I’m an essential worker, so I now work 12 hour days. My husband is also essential but his hours have been cut. I don’t have time to learn a new anything. Ha
    I spend all day trying to stay away from customers… while trying to be helpful of course.
    This will be my department’s new normal. Super busy all the time…so that’s not stressful at all.
    School buildings were cancelled this year, and all students who were on track to move to the next grade will. However, our governor has decided that the school districts must provide school work fit the students… depending on the needs of the district. Our district is extremely rural, so internet is not an option. Students have been on vacation since school was cancelled, and they will receive some kind of paperwork mailed at some point.

    • Reply Cwaltz |

      I have 2 children at home, who like yours, are essential, as is my spouse. I’m washing things daily and praying. My largest challenge has been my mental health. I started reading the stories of people who have lost people and found myself bawling. I’ve dealt with it by limiting my tablet time and trying not to dwell on things that I can’t change. I get to look at the numbers- not spend all day obsessing over them. It’s really hard to feel this vulnerable and helpless. I’m used to being able to plan and adapt and instead I’m crying because the world, even my own world, feels out of control.

    • Reply Hope |

      Yes, the district that we live in has the same issue with internet based learning not being an option. Not only do over 60% of families here not have internet, but many don’t have a computer. They’ve taken to doing paper packets.

      When I took Gymnast driving the other day, we were in the high school parking lot and saw all the boxes organized for picking up and submitting work. I don’t know how that’s working for kids who have no transportation. But the district is aware so I’m sure they are doing something.

      Your job sounds like History Buff…work a ton and be helpful, but stay away from the customers. Kind of a catch 22. I hope you are able to stay healthy!

  • Reply Ellen |

    I have been doing a lot of DIY stuff around the house; mostly painting, but I did also do a new backsplash in my kitchen and painted the cabinets. I discovered free online fitness classes to take. Zumba, belly dance, and Bollywood have been my favs so far. I refuse to gain the Covid 19 (get it? Lol. Too soon?)
    I have been working from home, but that’s nothing new. I used to only go into the office once or twice a week as it was. Now everyone knows what it feels like to do video meetings.
    my kids are older so I only have 2 at home. I had to pick up my son from his dorm 2 weeks ago. Both kids are at home doing virtual classes. Yesterday was really nice here so they put up the volleyball net and were in the yard playing for a bit. They are both super competitive and my daughter has always kept up with her older brothers. So he wasn’t too happy with her beating him. Other than that, they are either video chatting with friends, playing video games, or doing their favorite pass the times (painting, playing the piano/guitar, hitting the punching bag/weightlifting, dancing)
    Hubby pulled out the Harley yesterday and we went for a much needed ride. When we got back, the next door neighbor who had pulled his bike out and had friends over on his driveway. I told him not to even think about it! Smile, wave, and get your butt in the house. 🙂 he’s also working from home but is not used to being the house so much. He hates it.

    • Reply Hope |

      Ha! Our neighborhood is like a ghost town except for the cars in and out. Most of our neighbors are quite elderly so we dropped of cards with our phone number in case they need anything. And Sea Cadet has been just mowing lawns as he sees they need it. But we are not really seeing our neighbors.

      Unfortunately, Princess allergies are really keeping her house bound which I think is bringing on some depression, especially when she heard her “birthday” was cancelled when the governor extended the “shelter in place” mandate to the middle of June.

      I’ve got to start brainstorming some ideas to make her 16th birthday special. But I am with you on the DIY stuff. Not only am I enjoying it, but it helps keep the kids occupied too, especially Gymnast with his high energy.

      • Reply Ellen |

        Have a drive by birthday party. Talk to her friends’ parents and see if you can coordinate a day/time for her friends to drive by and wish her a happy birthday. They can decorate their cars. Honk their horns. Make a big fuss of it.

  • Reply Jazz |

    It’s been an adjustment for us. My husband returned last fall before the holidays from a year-long deployment during which our son was born. Right before Christmas, we got a puppy followed by news that we’re expecting again. Fast forward through the first quarter of 2020, and I’m currently working from home full-time while taking care of a precocious (but precious) 1 year old, training a 7 month old/85 lb. gentle giant, and caring for 3 other pets, all while 4.5 months pregnant.

    To say that I have less time than ever before is an understatement. We are fortunate that we are both still working full-time, even if my husband’s company is ridiculous and won’t allow work from home.

    • Reply Hope |

      Oh, Jazz, I can’t even imagine…and without the “at home” support of your husband. That’s one thing that I am grateful for…that my kids are old enough to be independent. But I’ve always believed that God will only give us what we can handle.

      For instance, he knew I would be a basket case if all my kids weren’t home during this. But with them here, I am good. So in your case, He must know how much strength you have. And definitely congratulations on the new pregnancy and puppy.

So, what do you think ?