What do we take away from the coronavirus crisis?

Nik Niethammer, editor-in-chief. Son 10, daughter 8 years old.

What habits, rituals, activities and hobbies have I developed over the past few weeks that I want to keep up in the time after coronavirus? Here are my top five:

1. Bücher vorlesen
   «Es ist ein Verbrechen, Kindern nicht vorzulesen», sagt die deutsche Schauspielerin Anna Thalbach. Etwas weniger radikal formuliert: Vorlesen ist enorm wichtig. Denn die Zeit, die man beim Vorlesen mit den Kindern verbringt, ist eine ganz besondere. Ich bin kein begnadeter Vorleser, aber Corona-bedingt besser geworden. Weil: Übung macht bekanntlich … Sie wissen schon. Mein Corona-Lieblings-Vorlesebuch ist übrigens Robinson Crusoe, ein Experte im Umgang mit Isolation und Einsamkeit. (Lese-Tipp: Weitere Lieblingsbücher zum Vorlesen von Nik Niethammer und anderen Mitgliedern aus Redaktion Verlag)
2. Kindernachrichten schauen
   Können sich auch Haustiere mit dem Virus infizieren? Warum müssen Menschen zueinander Abstand halten? Und was macht eigentlich ein Virologe? Antworten auf diese und viele andere Fragen liefern die «Logo»-Kindernachrichten. Täglich um 19 Uhr 50. In Corona-Zeiten ist die Redaktion zur Höchstform aufgelaufen; die Moderation ist wunderbar entspannt und unaufgeregt, die Beiträge sachlich und informativ – auch für Erwachsene. Für meine Kinder und mich ist die Sendung längst zum täglichen Ritual geworden.
3. «Zoomen»
   Ich war kein Freund von Videokonferenzen – bis Corona kam. Jetzt nutze ich Skype und Zoom mehrmals täglich, um mich auszutauschen. Ich freue mich jeden Morgen auf das Wiedersehen mit den Kolleginnen und Kollegen, studiere ihre immer gewagteren Frisuren und stelle fest: die Verluderungstendez nimmt mit Dauer der Krise zu – dasselbe T-Shirt seit zwei Wochen, dieselbe vertrocknete Zimmerpflanze auf dem Fenstersims. Im Ernst: ich finde diese Form der Kommunikation ebenso praktisch wie reizvoll und werde, wenn der Spuk einmal vorbei ist, Zoom und Co. gerne weiter nutzen.
4. Alte Filme schauen
   Unsere Kinder lieben die Abenteuer von Pippi Langstrupf. Seit Corona kennen sie auch einige der weniger bekannten Stücke von Astrid Lindgren wie «Rasmus und der Vagabund», «Karlsson vom Dach» oder «Kalle Blomquist». Wunderbare Geschichten, liebevoll erzählt. Es sind kleine Meisterwerke, wie aus der Zeit gefallen: langsame Schnitte, in schwarz-weiss gedreht, mit knarrigem Ton. DVD sei Dank!
5. Projekte stemmen
   Ohne Zweifel ist Corona ein Stresstest für Familien, insbesondere mit schulpflichtigen Kindern. Gleichzeitig setzt staatlich verordnetes Runterfahren ungeahnte Kräfte frei. Zumindest bei mir ist es so. Über die Ostertage habe ich mit meinem Sohn den Keller im Haus der Schwiegermutter um- und ausgebaut, wir haben gesägt, gezimmert und geschraubt als gäbs keinen Morgen. Als nächstes leg ich im Garten einen Kartoffelacker an. Und wenn das nichts wird, gibt's halt ein Plantschbecken für die Kinder.

Andrea Widmer, Fundraising. Two daughters, 8 and 6 years old.

I don't have any deep insights at the moment, but a lot of small things. Lots of quiet time with the children, lots of books read (by both my older daughter and myself) and lots of walks.
But what - if I've done it right - will last a really long time is my sourdough: while I was still in despair at the beginning that it would probably never work out, I am now the proud owner of four «home-grown» sourdough or lievito madre starters. Which means that we now eat a lot more bread than we used to. And if I look after the sourdoughs properly, they should stay with me for the rest of my life and will always remind me of this time.

Hanna Lauer, online editor

The corona crisis has made me appreciate once again what family and friendship means: being there for each other in dark moments, laughing together when things are going uphill and putting a few sausages on the barbecue together and reminiscing about old times. I have learnt that you can be close even at a distance.

Two moments will probably stay with me forever: the heart-warming smile of the tram driver at Zurich Central and the beautiful bouquet of flowers that lay on my doorstep - with kind regards from a friend. Just like that, without having earned it and without it being linked to any expectation.

Jacqueline Zygmont, Sales Manager, one adult son

Basically, I try to take something good from all life situations. Although I actually find it a bit difficult to deal with change, I was quickly able to get used to the totally bizarre corona period.
On the one hand, I miss the personal contact with the people who are close to me, for example my parents, who I haven't seen for a long time, especially my father, who belongs to the risk group. Of course, I miss the cosy visits to restaurants, especially when the weather has been so great the last few days.
On the other hand, I really enjoy this slowdown. I've realised that I was often rushing through life before coronavirus. My diary had to be full for me to be happy. That's no longer the case ... I enjoy the moments of a walk with a friend more intensely and consciously. Being in the here and now is becoming more important again. Even picking a bunch of tulips in a field so that there are flowers in the home office has given me a precious moment.
That's why I really want to carry this feeling of slowing down further and learn to appreciate the beautiful moments in life much more again.

Florina Schwander, Head of Online Editing. One daughter, soon to be 6, and twin boys, 4 years old.

Just a few days after the lockdown, the following pictures popped up in my feed: A great sourdough here, a delicious banana bread there. Here a loving daily plan for the seven children, here a rainbow photo with: «Oh, how I love our decelerated family life». And I broke out in a rash. My metabolism was the only thing that had slowed down, merci Hüftgold, and the most impressive instagram pictures I could have provided were of the mountains of laundry.
We were thrown into the cold coronavirus water in mid-March after a week's holiday and the new routine didn't suit me at all. The start in the stressful home office combined with little family time, minimal distance learning, anxiety about the unknown situation and the reduction to the nuclear family was tough. But my middle name is Pragma Mum and so we adapted. We spruced up our balcony, took the pressure off wherever possible, watched tadpoles outside and yes, I also baked the odd impressive «Züpfe».

My initial coronavirus grief has faded and I am increasingly grateful for our health, our stable environment and our adaptability. I marvel at how my children have become acquainted with all the balconies and their inhabitants to the right, left and opposite us. I look forward to continuing to cultivate these new contacts.
I marvel at how inquisitive they are and how I have to tell them all the viruses I know as a bedtime story. (Help, please!) I am proud of our soap consumption and am happy when I can refill our container. I am amused by listening to their phone conversations when they are on the phone to Grandma or their godparents and explain to them that Mum has just been in a cabbage shop, ah, a call, and Dad is upstairs in the bedroom, ah, at his desk.
We will definitely be taking two achievements with us over the next few weeks: my children can now memorise the theme tune from Paw Patrol. In German and French. And I've ordered a new coffee machine.

Dominique Binder, Publishing Administration

I admit that I will remember the Tagesschau on 16 March 2020 for a long time to come. I switched off the TV, very dejected, and had little or no idea what that would mean until (at that time) 19 April 2020: Most shops closed, no more drinks with friends at the end of the day, a fine meal with loved ones in a restaurant. Society was paralysed, people were forced to isolate themselves for the most part and were supposed to be «alone» in some way for a few weeks.

Six weeks have now passed. I have changed my everyday life quite a bit and am positively surprised by what this time has done to me. By working from home, I am so free that I start my working day early and have a little more free time in the afternoon. The word says it all: free time. I really enjoy it. I can look after myself, my beautiful home and my fantastic garden. I've started writing in my diary, I've cleared out and redecorated the flat and I'm reading a lot. The garden is getting ready for spring. And anyone who owns a garden knows what needs to be done; you're never finished.

My daily routine now includes going for a walk with my lovely neighbour for at least an hour every day. I've always known that I live in a great place here, but I appreciate it even more now; I have even more time to discover beautiful walks.

Of course, I'm also looking forward to returning to normal everyday life and seeing my mates in the office, to socialising. To a fine meal in the restaurant, to convivial barbecues with my friends in my wonderful garden, to a glass of wine in the cosy garden pub.

The coronavirus period has changed me a lot; I got to know myself better, learnt to appreciate everything I have and that more time for myself is an absolute luxury.

I hope that this feeling will stay with me long after the crisis is over. I'm definitely trying to keep up my daily walks and also plan in enough me-time; this could work well in normal everyday life again.

Claudia Landolt, lead author. Four children aged between 8 and 15.

Me and my mindset
I'm blessed with a lot of energy and stamina, I'm a bundle of energy. I thrive when things are difficult, I organise, tackle things, do 30 different things at the same time and already know what I'm going to have for dessert in 17 days' time.
So the start of the lockdown was totally my thing: which of us six family members has which conference calls at what time? Who works at which workstation? Where do we need a screen, an adapter, a transition piece? Who cooks, cleans, does the laundry, walks the dog? I threw myself at an overview plan, it called to my clear mind (ha!). But: in these exceptional times with six family members, there can be no workable plans. Every day is different from what my mastermind mum had grandiosely planned. A change of timetable, printing out sheets of paper with tasks by 8.30am, an emergency meeting with the husband, an urgent email to me, the Wi-Fi that was spooking, quarrelling siblings, a stubborn printer, a digitally overwhelmed child.
Ohmm - maximum flexibility was and is required. After three weeks, I could feel my energy dwindling. There was the odd day of cabin fever, frustration and tears. They lasted a maximum of one day. Why was that? My mindset saved me. What do I mean by that? I can't control external circumstances, but I can control how I react to them. Every moment of life is a decision that I make. Am I frustrated? Okay, then I let that feeling out. Am I angry at my messy and often chore-ignoring children, the foul-smelling piles of laundry and the media rules that have become obsolete? Okay. I'll let it out. But after 24 hours of frustration at the latest, I reprogramme myself and do my best again. It's possible, I swear. Corona has shown me.

My morning practice
Discipline is crucial for my mindset. Not the discipline needed to cope with work, everyday life or leisure activities, but my own discipline and personal responsibility for my well-being. Since day 1 of the lockdown, I've been getting up at 6.15 a.m. every day, even at weekends, enjoying the peace and quiet because everyone is still asleep, drinking a cup of tea, taking an ice-cold shower and doing 45 minutes of sweat-inducing power yoga, starting with 8 minutes of cardio training to loud music. A mini meditation at the end. Pause, when, if not now? Afterwards, I'm fit for the day, go for a quick walk with our dog, make breakfast and kiss my loved ones. I always practise the same set and notice how I get stronger every day, more powerful, both externally and internally. In yoga, this is called sadhana, a spiritual discipline to reach a higher goal, such as inner freedom regardless of external circumstances. In 25 years of yoga experience, my morning practice has never been as disciplined, consistent and juicy as it is now. 90 days is the goal. That's how long it takes for a routine to become part of your life.

Time with the children
Corona has given us more time with our children than ever before. Since my four babies became schoolchildren, we have never spent as much time together as we do now, apart from during the holidays. Not only are the long school days with very different lesson times no longer necessary, but also the many associated appointments, sports training sessions, music school, taxi services, scouts, chess club, swimming lessons - all superfluous. Of course, this means a lot more work for us parents, just getting food and catering for six constantly hungry people who simply can't function without three hot meals a day is a challenge (especially when the child generously distributes all the available ice cream throughout the neighbourhood). But to be honest: I enjoy having a child constantly sneaking around me. That they need me, especially us now. Yes, we are closer than ever before. Seeing everyone gathered around the table every day makes me happy. These are historic moments. Even my eldest son, a smart-as-nails teenager, thinks it's «mega cool» that mum and dad are home so much. Not everyone is as lucky as me.

Corona dossier and families:

All relevant topics and lots of tips for families can be found in our Corona dossier , which is updated on an ongoing basis.