COVID-19 (Coronavirus 2019) has added time for some students and teachers to be with family, but for others, family time has decreased. While some people have been locked in with their families and parents have switched to tele-working, other families and jobs cannot accommodate the virtual world, therefore sending people away from family.

The intermediate algebra teacher at Oakdale High School, Courtney Ray, has spent time alone at home during the day while her husband is at work  and expressed, “During COVID I have not had more added time with my family. My husband has been going to work since the beginning. When schools closed, I was left home alone all day while he went to work. I will say that since I have been working at home I have had more time in the mornings with Mark, my husband.” 

The pandemic has taken away family time for both teachers and students. Ms.Ray responded, “Before the beginning of the pandemic, Mark and I would spend every Friday evening at his parents house for wing night, and then have lunch with his parents every Sunday after church. Since Covid began we have had to cut back on the number of wing nights and Sunday lunches we had.”

The epidemic has helped some families spend more time together.  An environmental science teacher at Oakdale High School, Elizabeth Nave states how her family is enjoying the extra time, “For those of us in the house, we spend more time together playing games, going on walks, golfing, hiking etc. Most of all, dinner together has been a priority because it is easier to schedule. We have always had a meal ready for all at dinner, but sometimes we ate at different times due to schedules with school and sports.”

Whether at home or at work, many people have enjoyed more time with family while others had to switch their family gathering to online.