Need for balance at home

Quarantine creates need for balance at home

Hailey Christoff | Staff Writer

Recently as of April 19, the nation’s mortality rate has reached more than 42,000 deaths due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19). With Indiana reaching its first month of quarantine, families are finding it difficult to remain inside their house. As more days pass on, parents await for work hours at their businesses while students ache for the arrival of August classes. With cabin fever setting into the family environment, people wonder how they will survive for any longer.

Being a sister to five siblings, Mattie Busick (10) said she has her hands full but that does not stop her from having fun.

“Managing my siblings has been pretty tough,” Busick said. “They can be annoying because they are younger.”

They try to avoid fighting as much as possible, she said.

For Mallory McGlothlin (9), she only has to hassle with three.

“Some days it is difficult being around each other, but we appreciate being together,” McGlothlin said.

On the other hand, their parents seem to enjoy their time together, providing days full of games and other activities. Although they are busy, they find it comforting that their children are around.

“Even though both are working, we get more time together after,” Busick said. Usually, after work, the family plays board and puzzles games. For an hour or more, the Busick children enjoy playing outside each day.

As for the McGlothlin clan, they participate together by using technology. Even on Easter, her family joined in a car parade to celebrate.

“We have been doing virtual game nights with my outer family over FaceTime to socialize with them,” McGlothlin said.

However, with nursing homes prohibiting visitation hours, many people fear for the health of older family members. Concerning health, older generations of people are more susceptible to diseases, making it extremely dangerous if they come in contact with an infected individual. The immune system would be compromised and could eventually lead to death.

In the pandemic, grandchildren either visit behind glass walls or not at all to help reduce the risk of infecting their grandparents.

“We are concerned for our grandparents, but we also know that they have been taking the proper precautions to protect themselves from the virus,” McGlothin said.

For an individual’s daily schedule, people are finding it quite easy to stick with a routine usually for a “non-quarantine” day.

“I get ready for my day like any other,” Busick said. “It gives me a sense of normality whenever I do this.”