#NowIsTheTime

Who knew 24 hours in a day was this long?

Before COVID-19, Mondays – Fridays have you leave home in the morning and you don’t see each other until say 7 pm or 8 pm. When you retire home, a quick dinner, some TV time, give it 2 to 3 hours, and everyone retires to bed and the same routine follows the following day except for days you have to be in church. So, give or take, the number of hours you have to see each other in a day is between 5 to 6 hours.

Then the COVID-19 virus came, and it’s a #LockedDown! It’s a #StayAtHome! What are we to do for 24 hours? Well, maybe 18hours since about 6 or 8 is for sleep.

The first day was exciting just like every new adventure brings a new surge of energy and excitement. Then the second day came and we were in one another’s faces again. Friction, Quarrel, Boredom, you name it.

See, the scary thing about this StayAtHome is that it is not, at the moment, time-bound. We don’t know how long this would last. It’s a bit uncertain. And it’s amazing how singles who are not in a relationship wish they have someone to share this StayAtHome time with while many married folks are frustrated they are stuck with their partners 24/7. The irony of life.

By the 2^nd day, I did a reset and changed the tag from #StayAtHome to #NowIsTheTime. The former is inactive; the latter is proactive.

Now is the time to go through the children’s books and see how they are doing. Daddy was always tired when he retired home from work. Well, no going to the office now, and no meetings till late nights, #NowIsTheTime to go through their school work thoroughly and have conversations with them. Know their challenges, where they struggle and help step in.

We used to rush morning devotions/prayers. Well, there’s no rush for us now. #NowIsTheTime to inject some fun into it, get creative, delegate tasks, because no one is rushing to school or to work. One person leads the prayers, another leads the worship, another reads the Bible verses. We explore the scriptural passage from different angles and each person has enough time to make contributions. #NowIsTheTime

Yesterday I unwrapped the smoothie machine I got for my daughter some time ago. #NowIsTheTime for her to learn how to use it and make great smoothies. And when you think about it, the vitamins will also build our immune systems. She is also started in the smoothie business she had always talked about. By the time this phase is over, she would have honed in her skills.

Yours may not be a smoothie. But you may engage your little one during this time and ask what their interests are. They won’t do academic work for 24 hours or watch cartoons for 24hours. Teach them one trade skill or two. Make them watch youtube videos on Photography, you don’t need to have a camera yet. Draw a time table and plan how the day will be spent. It excites them to know what they will be doing ahead of time.

7-8 pm is the time we watch and learn new songs. We all sit in a cluster and pick the song of choice from YouTube. We sing it over and over again. And later use the Bluetooth speaker and fill the atmosphere of the home with it.

#NowIsTheTime to make cooking fun and exciting. #NowIsTheTime to experiment with new delicacies and bond together as a family. Daddy displays his culinary skills in the kitchen, makes lunch or dinner for everyone and the family eat together at the table.

#NowIsTheTime to make Movie Nights more frequent. Switch off the lights, substitute pop-corn with Pringles or groundnuts. Smoothies can replace fizzy drinks.

#NowIsTheTime to play board games as a family. Ludo, Scrabble, Monopoly, etc. bring them all out and see how the atmosphere of your home will change.

#NowIsTheTime to have that investment discussion with your spouse. You have been postponing it for a while and complaining you don’t have the time. #NowIsTheTime

#NowIsTheTime to revisit your family goals for the future with your spouse. Get started on the ones that can be done from home. From your bedroom, you can have a company name registered. You can design the website for it. You can brand using Canva. You can do a lot. You can write a book or start one. You and your spouse can start that online business or register for that Master’s program.

By the time this phase is over, you should be a stronger family. You should have created memories that when you look back the enemy will be the one regretting.