How are YOU coping?

Our editorial team members are also cooped up at home, with both children and spouses, everyone needs to adapt. Find inspiration and insights in their experiences here.

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By Susanne Simons Kee and Jessica Sacco

I am an expat socially isolating with my two kids and husband in my home away from home in Osterbro.

While I am optimistic the Danish Government is on top of this, I am uncertain as to what the future holds. With schools and offices closed, a new normal must be found. At least for now.

What do we do in these unprecedented times? We make do.

Televisions are used as computer monitors. The kitchen table becomes both a conference room and classroom. The living room becomes a gym, cinema, and activity centre.

The children have remote learning from their school, and it seems to fill our mornings. In only one day I have learned I am not meant to be a teacher, but along with everyone else, I (and my kids) will power through.

While my husband has conference calls this afternoon, we will be sequestered in our bedrooms.

Our mostly indoor weekend was spent baking together, playing games, and watching movies together.

While we are not sick of each other yet, I know it will come and that’s okay.

As an American, my typical shopping style is bulk buying, so no going to the grocery to hoard for me.

Believe it or not, I haven’t bought a single roll of toilet paper since any of the closings were announced. Just supplementary trips every few days will be necessary.

Hopefully we can use this time to connect and build memories with those closest to us, testing out new recipes, binge watching some Netflix, organizing that closet, finally finishing a game of monopoly and come out the other side with our health, both physically and mentally intact.

Greetings from Susanne Simons Kee / Your Danish Life editorial group member

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Hi! I am an expat from the United States, currently living in Denmark, and have been following the Danish Government’s guidelines of social distancing and self-isolating to help combat the spread of the Corona virus.

I have one daughter at home, and my husband is working from home as well. Yesterday was day one of remote learning from my daughter’s school. She is in grade 8, so very independent with her schoolwork.

She was sent an email about everything she needed to do as far as logging into her school portal, and what will be expected from her during these weeks at home. So far so good!

She will have four learning blocks per day, with breaks and lunch built in.

Today, during second block, she had P.E., and was instructed to do at least 20 minutes of exercise or activity, student’s choice, and then write about what she did.

The sun was shining, so we took a walk together and did some core work on mats outside. We live by the sea, so it is nice and open, and easy to avoid coming into close contact with other people. Social distancing is a must!!

It was fun to spend that time with her, get some fresh air, and help her complete one of her assignments.

I think it will be difficult to stay cooped up inside, so getting out for a walk is ok, as long as you maintain proper guidelines of social distancing!

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My husband is doing his own thing, working on his computer and making conference calls at our dining room table. My daughter is at her desk back in our extra room. My husband working out in the dining room area makes my usual daytime routine a little difficult, as I must be quieter than usual, and no television during the day!

I can live with that though, as I can catch up on making photo books from our travels, reading and other to-do list items that I have been neglecting!

Over the weekend we started a 1500-piece puzzle, went on a bike ride, baked, and watched tv. I think the puzzle will take us a while! It’s our first time doing something like that so it will be fun to work on it together!

This situation certainly isn’t ideal. We had a very big vacation planned for the upcoming Easter break, which will now be cancelled.

Having routines changed so drastically, being isolated from friends, makes for challenging times.

But I am trying to remember that we are very lucky to be in a country that is working hard to contain the virus, and that things could always be much worse.

Trying to embrace the positives, like getting to exercise with my daughter during the day, tackling tasks that I have been meaning to do, and slowing down life in general.

Being grateful for what I have. And being hopeful that we will continue to work together as a country, and globally to stop this virus from continuing to spread!

Greeting from Jessica Sacco / Your Danish Life editorial group member

Pictures: Susanne Kee, Jessica Sacco, Anna Nadia Dill