Managing Quarantine With the In-Laws

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Some of us have been in self-imposed quarantine all Chinese New Year. Some have been doing it by themselves, some with their families, and some, with the in-laws.

Spending 24-hours a day for the past 10 days in a confined space is already a challenge, add in the age and cultural differences (and sometimes language barriers), it becomes a recipe for an interesting life experience, needless to say.

One American expat tells us “While I understand that sometimes what my mother-in-law says and what she does mean two different things, it can get exhausting trying to figure out her double meaning for days on end.” She explains “When my mother-in-law says stuff like “you got fatter” what she means is “you look good”. I get it, but it’s still hard hearing that none stop for days on end.”

Another tells us that “My husband and I visit his mom almost every weekend. And while she and I are essentially girl friends, short term visits and what we experienced this CNY are two different things. Not being able to see my friends, have a social life, and essentially, being confined all together in one house, has taken a tole on both of us. She finds it frustrating having to explain the benefits of drinking hot water to me time after time yet still catching me chugging down icy cold soda waters straight from the fridge, while I’m getting irritated by her trying to convince me that over the counter TCM liquids would protect me from the Coronavirus.”

Let’s just say that the past 10 days hasn’t been easy for any family to stay indoors and physically shut off from society and our regular life.

But what can you do if you’re intending on another week of self-imposed quarantine with your family?

Carve out time for yourself.

While this might sound like a no brainer, sometimes we put our family and their needs ahead of our own without even realizing it. Whatever you find most calming, be it reading a good book, watching a movie, yoga, or putting headphones on and cooking up a new recipe. Whatever it if that makes you happy, make sure to find time to put yourself first for a bit.

Disconnect (even just for a little while)

Pull away, even if only for an hour or two. There are so many people panicking on WeChat that it’s hard not to be influenced. Save yourself a bit of headache and limit the amount of times you check your phone.

Stay healthy

Just because it’s hard to get to a gym these days doesn’t mean you can’t still stay fit. There are plenty of home workout videos and apps out there. My personal favorite is Nike Training Club (NTC) that offers different types of workouts based on what you want to target and how much time you have.

Let the kids take charge

No, not let them run amok. Let the kids create their own games. Since they’re not going to be going on any playdates during this time, might as well push the limits of their creativity and see what they come up with. Perhaps write a story together or create a new recipe they can call their own. Maybe this is the perfect opportunity for them to discover a new hobby.

For those who need to talk to someone professional about what they’re going through, the Beijing Mindfulness Centre is hosting online sessions on Zoom all February.

Source: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/237694, https://wanderlust.com/journal/5-rules-to-stay-zen-and-keep-your-iphone/

Photos: unsplash, ux-republic.com, Beijing Mindfulness Centre, giphy

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