How to Survive Being Housebound with Teens during Coronavirus

How do you survive the coronavirus pandemic with teens? I’m not talking about the virus itself (check out the CDC for real facts), rather being housebound with teens for three weeks.  

Yup, my kids, ages 16 and 13, have no school or activities here in Michigan until at least April 6. They don’t have homework or online learning either. I’ve been encouraged to work remotely from home, too.

The good news is that at least my kids can sleep in and play Fortnite or watch YouTubers very happily all day.

(Seriously, let’s take a moment and send strong thoughts and lots of love to the countless moms and dads who are home with little ones that can’t even sit still for five minutes. God speed, moms and dads of younger kids. God speed!)

But even my teens will grow bored with their video games and YouTubers. Plus, I feel guilty if I just let their minds rot.

Well, rot alone I mean. Their minds are going to rot in the next three weeks, but with the suggestions below, they can at least rot along with me!  

Here’s what I’m planning on watching with my teens or what I recommend from previous binge sessions that you watch with your teens during the coronavirus pandemic. 

Prime Time

Get caught up on The Masked Singer on Fox. It’s a reality TV show where celebrities hide themselves in elaborate costumes and sing before judges who try and guess who they are.

The performances can be amazing, the backup dancers are totally weird, and the judges keep the guesses coming. What’s fun is trying to figure out who it is.

Disney+

I’m not a huge Star Wars fan, but I like it enough. Still, I was surprised that I really got into The Mandalorian on Disney+.

My favorite part of watching the series? That my kids wanted to talk about it with me. I highly recommend bonding over Baby Yoda.

Binge-worthy

Love is Blind on Netflix is a hot mess reality dating show that delivers entertainment. Boys and girls fall in love while talking to, but not seeing, each other until they are engaged. Then they go on vacation, move in and get married–or do they?

There are lots of people to root for (Lauren and Cameron!) and lots of people to make you shake your head and yell at your TV (Jessica!).

Warning: they can and do swear.

Home videos on DVD

Seriously, we have DVDs of our kids as babies and toddlers from about 2003 until the advent of smartphones in the early 2010’s. Who doesn’t want to see themselves waddling around in a diaper, playing the recorder in the 4th grade concert, or being a ring bearer and flower girl?

Awww….

I hope I’ve provided an idea or two of what you can watch with your teens while being housebound during the coronavirus. Or at the very least entertained you with my basic taste in shows.

And as our family blows through this list of shows and movies in approximately 2 days, does anyone have a giant puzzle I can borrow? And a giant bottle of wine?