What Comes Next?

There were warning signs everywhere, so no one was really surprised when Governor Pritzker closed all the schools this afternoon. The girls spent the school day practicing for eLearning. Luckily our school district planned for eLearning days earlier in the school year. 

We had been watching what was happening in China, Italy, the U.K. and other places. We saw the devastation Coronavirus was causing in other places. We knew it was serious and needed to be taken seriously.

In the days since the NBA suspended its season, the country starting shutting down. The NHL suspended its season. Live theaters suspended productions. Movie theaters closed. St. Patrick's Day celebrations were cancelled. Park districts, museums and zoos cancelled all programs. Suddenly the shelter in place edict was easier because there was no place to go. As we talked about the shelter in place order, it was very unsettling. Everything was changing so quickly. We read as much as we could about keeping a schedule, focusing on different activities, staying connected, and allowing everyone to move through different emotional stages as reality started to set in.  Daddy and I talked about the girls' schedule. What was important? We wanted them to go outside every day for fresh air and exercise. We wanted them to get enough sleep. We talked to them about doing something creative every day. It all sounded so practical when we sat at the dinner table. Later all I could think was "What comes next?" It was the big question we'd have to answer together during the next few weeks.