I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but… something is happening outside, and until about two weeks ago, I was personally sure it would be over in no time. After all, we’re strong Israelis with patents and everything.

But it seems not, and we’re going to be stuck in this situation for a while.

Last week I still had that joyful, almost ritualistic urge to organize — tidying up corners, creating craft space with enthusiasm. And as you can imagine, some days that works, some days less so. It’s true for me in my heart, not just for the kids.

Now that I’ve internalized the situation — that it’s getting more complicated — I’m deeply occupied with one essential question:

“What do we have to offer?”

To ourselves, to the kids, in general. Not just what we can do practically, but where we can direct ourselves now, what guides our actions at the moment.

As I mentioned last time, I struggle with “lemonade theories” — finding the good and the opportunity in all this (there is some, don’t get me wrong, but for me personally it’s hard; they don’t push me forward, they make me sink). If you do have lemons — squeeze them and put them in a salad or drink lemon water, it will cleanse you. Use the rest to make countertop disinfectant — way more effective than lemonade.

So after spending a few days with this question in my head, one of the most important answers I came to is that the most important thing we can offer right now to everyone in my household, including myself, is:

Hope for the Future.

I’m speaking in the most practical sense because when you focus on the future, there’s so much to do — from home, especially considering that we are here all the time. So here are six examples of things you can do, which we intend to try here, and you’re welcome to adopt:

1. 1. Plant / Root:
   
   I don’t have a logical explanation for this, but surely some people hoard chopsticks or takeout ketchup packets at home, or buy way too much of something and stash it in drawers? (You know who you are.) Well, we always have lots of packets of flower and vegetable seeds at home. Maybe there’s a reason; in my eyes, gardening is one of the happiest activities, and every time I visit the plant nursery I buy this lovely little potential in a small bag. You can also grow in small pots on a balcony or some corner in the garden. If you’re not weird like me with a collection like this, you can use seeds from peppers, pumpkins, sunflowers, legumes, and more that you find around daily. Another option is to root vegetables using their non-edible parts and give them a second chance — a base of lettuce, green onion, or celery that’s planted in soil and cared for will quickly sprout again. And of course, the classics — avocado and sweet potato, root vegetables especially love to grow. Of course, you can eat most of these crops, but I think that’s not the main point — it’s fun and hopeful to grow and watch things develop.
2. 2. Invite Birds:
   
   Here are guests you can meet no matter what restrictions are imposed: there are many ways to invite birds to your balcony or garden — search Google or Pinterest for bird feeders, you’ll find treasures. It works, from experience. It’s also fun to do, and the immediate response makes it even more joyful. Honestly, you don’t have to try too hard — sometimes just leaving crumbs or small salad scraps and a little sugar water in a shallow dish for small songbirds is enough. Try it and see what works for you.
   
   Personally, my heart feels much better when there’s bird action in the yard. It’s funny to watch sparrows come to peck and then be chased away by bulbuls, who are then chased by mynas, and then by crows 😊. It reminds me there’s life outside and connects me to the wave of happy news about wild animals entering deserted urban spaces — dolphins in the canals of Venice, deer and monkeys in Japan, and who knows what will appear here at this rate. Anyone want to place a bet?
   
   Since we’re talking about birds — yesterday I received in the mail “The Bird Book” by Noa Katz. I was an enthusiastic supporter when it was just a draft (the narrative version of “when it was still in its mother’s belly,” I guess) — perfect timing. It’s a witty, funny comic all about birds. It really makes me laugh. I wish every news broadcast started with a page from this book. I highly recommend following her online and ordering the book (some parts are not suitable for kids).
3. 3. Plan Parties:
   
   There are celebrations that will happen no matter what — like Passover and birthdays. These are fixed events in the calendar that can’t be canceled; this isn’t Eurovision or the Olympics. What a relief! It’s sad not to celebrate as we usually do, but we can celebrate — just not the way we’re used to! We can celebrate in pajamas, prepare food suited for a small group that requires more elaborate preparation but that we always wanted to try. In short — we can plan a different holiday meal that will surely not be forgotten anytime soon.
   
   For birthdays — we can bake a cake together, write greetings, and plan activities. Gifts can be made or ordered for delivery. You can also decide to create a coupon for a future event, for something that can’t be done now. It sparks hope and positive thoughts about the future.
   
   Recently, I witnessed creative gestures from businesses that, like all of us, found themselves in this situation and are doing a lot to come out stronger, not broken. You can use their help in planning these celebrations for loved ones. Planning and preparing like this brings great joy and encouragement to children. You can even plan birthdays that won’t happen during this period — that’s fun too and can save hassle later. After all, we’re home and have time — why not? It’s a great opportunity to let kids think, come up with ideas, and search the web for inspiration.
4. 4. Prepare for Summer:
   
   Another thing that will definitely happen here soon, no matter what. I’m not just talking about the Passover cleaning from a sometimes annoying place. You can declare a cleaning and sorting of closets and shoe drawers, knowing that summer is coming soon, and it’s worth checking what fits and what doesn’t. You can also check on sandals — I don’t know about you, but I always get really excited for the first day of swapping socks and shoes for sandals. So, don’t say “a day will come” — bring the day! Who said today can’t be the day you feel sandals on your feet for the first time this year?
   
   What no longer fits, save in a package for the next meeting with friends or family when this is all over. That’s encouraging too. And if you’re not one of those who gets comfort from that and can’t stand having packages at home that need to be delivered — maybe someone very close by or even in the building needs them. You can check the neighborhood WhatsApp group and leave the package by the door.
   
   You can also look online for sandals and other summer things. (Personally, I’m not buying now, especially not for the kids because I prefer to try things on. But hey, some people like this and it works for them — great! It’s also a wonderful opportunity to support businesses, preferably small and ones you’ve liked for a long time.)
5. . Prepare Gifts:
   
   The internet is so full of suggestions for activities and things you can do online, and that’s wonderful and charming, truly (I’ve already said I feel guilty about it myself despite my reservations and that it overloads me emotionally). What encourages me most is thinking about people I love and making something for them.
   
   At first, I planned to send gifts by mail, but honestly, I’m a bit afraid to go to the post office at this stage. So I decided to keep what I make here so that when we meet again, I can personally give what I prepared. That really encourages me.
   
   I started, as usual, with embroidery (if there’s something I have tons of at home, it’s embroidery supplies — even if this lockdown lasts until 2024, God forbid, I’m set in this regard). I wonder if I’ll stick just to this or move on to other things. I usually start a thousand projects at once, so I must say this period allowed me to finish quite a few embroideries I started a long time ago.
   
   When all this is over, I also plan to make embroidery accessible to anyone interested in this wonderful medium. I’m still thinking it through, but just the thought makes me happy and working on it encourages me.
6. 6. Reset Focus:
   
   Remember how a thousand years ago, when all this started, we made schedules, rules, and lists to help keep our sanity — uh, I mean routine? I think now is a good time to refresh those.
   
   What was right at the beginning of this period may not be right now, considering that we’re in a marathon, not a sprint.
   
   I had an English teacher in high school who used to tell us:
   “The more you write — the more mistakes you make.”
   Or in everyday Hebrew: “Cut down, cut down.” You don’t need so many sections and so much text. (She said this while writing at least 1,200 words per Facebook post, ironically.)
   
   We refreshed the schedule here and made it much more flexible, with a lot more personal attention for each child (age gaps here require it). Also, much more time for each kid to decide what to do separately, how to keep themselves busy.
   
   I think it’s less intimidating this way. The online system can be very aggressive and the format is definitely not suitable for everyone. Our first grader struggles on a sensory level with online meetings; they hurt his ears even when the volume is lowered, and the many voices confuse him. I think they also make him sad — it’s like watching from an aquarium what you can’t reach.
   
   So we stay in touch with his wonderful teacher (Noa Amosi, we love you), and she helps us keep routine and progress.
   
   In short — reset, expectations, anchors, duties — focus them for yourself and the kids. The world is crazy enough now. Think about what’s important and go only with that. The rest can wait.
   
   Even academically — I admit, we’re not really into all those sites and such. Our eldest (6th grade) manages very responsibly and independently, and some days she’s just not into it and we don’t bother her.
   
   What we did explain to the kids is that this is an opportunity to dive deeper into the subjects that challenge them more, as well as those that interest them (which, of course, are usually not the same subjects, and avoidance happens — understandable). So let’s say we’re less concerned about sitting through an online geography class if they’re not into it, and more focused on practicing language skills (Hebrew and English).
   
   But that’s us — every household is different.

That’s all for now. I hope I managed to inspire some hope and encouragement. Writing all this encouraged me, so it was already worth it for me. I barely touched on it this time, but — art, culture, creativity (ours and others’) are the most encouraging things in the world. I witness amazing things people are doing now, remembering they used to play music and returning to it, trying new things, participating in creative classes, watching films, and talking with creators. There are so many things. Some days I find myself really unsure what to consume, there’s an enormous abundance. I warmly recommend being smarter than me and not exhausting yourself — you can take it slow, and that’s totally fine. Above all — people’s generosity and acts of kindness, big and small, inspire the greatest hope in me.