For some, daily routine not changing too much

Staying busy as the quarantine continues can be challenging for those not accustomed to being at home. But, for two Orland Park women, each in a different phase of their life, the quarantine is not quite as challenging.

Bridget Lindbloom, mother of two toddler boys, works from home part-time for trauma surgeons. Sandy Olmsted, whose children are grown, has been a stay-at-home mom since her children were young.

“I am working from home, but I normally work part-time at home, so it doesn’t change much for me,” Lindbloom said. “My work has slowed down because the doctors are understandably more focused on how they are going to staff the hospitals during the (coronavirus) outbreak and how they are keeping staff from burning out or getting exposed.”

Lindbloom’s husband, Joe, considered an essential employee, is gone each day, so it’s primarily Bridget who is keeping their three-and-a-half-year-old and two-year-old busy each day. At night, they’re both all-in. “We are watching a lot of Disney, Hulu and Netflix, and playing board games the kids got for Christmas. I put together ‘busy bags’ with little activities to help them with letters, numbers and shapes and now that the weather is nicer, we can spend more time outside,” she said. “Although, we did go out in the backyard when we got snow for a snowball fight and pull the kids on the sleds.” In the early evenings, both Bridget and Joe and their sons are getting plenty of fresh air walking the neighborhood.

Lindbloom’s parents, Dan and Pat McLaughlin, have been able to provide some wonderful—and most welcome—distractions for her children. “My mom made videos of her reading stories to the kids. We play the videos at nap time or bedtime so grandma can still read them stories even though they can’t see her in person,” Lindbloom said, noting that her dad and siblings and their kids are now recording themselves reading books so all the cousins can have different family members read to them.

Her dad stopped at her house without her knowledge and hid surprises for her children around the outside of the house. “Each morning he would call them and give them clues on where to find the surprises. They are excited to find them and I’m grateful for an activity to help pass the time in the morning.”

Lindbloom and her family also had a virtual snowball fight. "I made yarn 'snowballs' and delivered them to my siblings' and parent's homes (just a drop and go - no visiting of course!). Then I set up a zoom meeting and we threw the snowballs at each other. We actually threw snowballs for about 30 minutes and then talked for another hour. It was fun and let the kids see their cousins, aunts, uncles and grandma and grandpa and have a little bit of normalcy," she said.

“I can’t imagine going through this without the technology we have,” Lindbloom said. “Being able to FaceTime with friends, cousins and grandparents is helping all of us stay connected and sane through the social distancing.”

Olmsted’s daily routines haven't changed too much either during this quarantine. “Being a stay-at-home mom when our children were young, I have always worked from home. That being said, I believe that prepared me for this self-quarantine. I slowly adjusted to them growing up and leaving the nest. I know how to be home. I know how to keep busy and learned how to value and appreciate down time.”

She, too, is utilizing technology a little more than usual since in-person visits are at a halt. “We are FaceTiming with our grandkids and we’ve either talked via text, actual telephone and FaceTime with friends, some I haven’t talked to in ages,” she said. “I’m also getting a huge kick out of the memes so many are sharing on Facebook regarding home-schooling and being home with spouses and kids. And like most everyone else, I have enjoyed a few series, movies and documentaries on Netflix.”

One of the routines Olmsted is keeping up on is making photo books. “I always have one of those to work on and recently finished our son and new daughter-in-law’s wedding album.”

Another is keeping up with exercising, something she usually did at a local gym, noting she dusted off her treadmill and rediscovered the free weights and bands in the basement.

While she is keeping herself busy and productive, she does miss being outside. “One thing I’ve learned from this that I run here and there more often than I realized. Part of the boredom for me is that the weather hasn’t totally warmed up yet. It wouldn’t be so bad if I were able to do some yard work or sit on the patio and read or go in our hot tub with my husband and have a glass of wine by the fire pit as we solve all of the world’s problems,” she said, with a chuckle.

She’s also had plenty of time to reflect and observe a shift in family life. “Families are slowing down and smelling the roses, spending quality time together,” Olmsted said. “Every day on Facebook I am seeing posts with photos of family activities, like basketball and baseball games, craft projects, playing board games, watching movies together, cooking together and being silly. Families are pitching in to do chores together and kids learning to do what they need to survive in the world. I predict in future years when these kids are telling their kids and grandkids about the pandemic of 2020, they will be remembering all the fun and family times, not the surreal times outside their doors.”

Olmsted’s making another prediction about the future. “After life has gotten back to normal, all the games we weren’t able to attend, nights at the theater that had to be canceled, trips that were canceled, all the canceled events that are so disappointing and devastating now, will be remembered as just hiccups in our lives as we all move forward to bigger and better things,” she said.

“Who knows? Maybe this ‘hiccup’ is a wake-up call to all of us to take time to stop and breathe and enjoy all God has blessed us with. Our families and friends are irreplaceable. These relationships should be nourished, appreciated and cherished.”