It's already the first day of week five. Weeks which, in retrospect, seem like huge roller-coasters, alternating good, not so good and downright bad days. But on the plus side, because there always is one, we're getting stronger than ever.

This week, we wanted to share with you our mutual experience of confinement. Elsa with her husband and Natalie with her 2 children, husband and sister:

Natalie:

"As a mother of 2, I've had my ups and downs, but this Easter long weekend got me thinking. I took a step back and relaxed. I realized how lucky I am to spend this time with my family and my children. Time to get to know them better, time to interact, to play and cuddle a little more every day."

Elsa:

"Working from home, this period of confinement doesn't change my daily routine much except that my husband is there... all the time (smile). We're trying to set a rhythm for ourselves: work, sport, cooking, a TV show, bedtime and back again! In spite of everything, I'm relieved and grateful to be in this confinement together. When one of us falters morally, the other is there to pick us up, and vice versa. This crisis makes us realize, once again, how privileged we are."

Our aim was to highlight the many positive aspects of confinement and the lessons to be learned from such an exceptional situation. It's a situation that we don't expect to see again any time soon, and one that we're likely to miss in some respects.

Let's be clear, this doesn't make the pandemic any less terrible. Terrible for the individuals and families affected. Terrible for the medical profession, which is struggling as never before and at the end of its tether. Terrible for all those who have to continue working, exposing themselves to the virus. Terrible for the economy. Terrible for mankind, salutary for nature. What a paradox!

Through this article, we'd like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all our everyday heroes: nurses, doctors, cashiers, pharmacists, garbage collectors, delivery drivers and all those who enable us to carry on living more or less normally.

To all you mums-to-be, we hope these few words will take your stress levels down a notch and that you'll be able to get through the next few weeks of confinement more serenely.

Let's focus now on the various concrete benefits of containment:

• Quality time with children and families 

For many parents, this is the first and perhaps the last time you'll spend so much time with your children. Being home for every meal, every bath, every game. As with all changes in life, it's not easy to adapt to something new, but try to make the most of it. Do the things you've always wanted to do as a family. Spend quality time with your children, but also with your partner. It's priceless and one of the most beneficial aspects of this confinement.

• Kitchen 

On a daily basis, we never have time to think about what we're going to cook. We just run to the grocery store and grab something easy to make and go. Today, we have the time to make all those recipes we've been putting off. Involve the children by getting them involved and teaching them the basics of healthy, gourmet eating. 

• Taking possession of your home

There's no better time to do some spring cleaning. Reorganize your home Marie Kondo-style, sorting out all the useless things you've accumulated over the years. It's so nice to get rid of the things that clutter up your home (and, by extension, your head). What's more, moving furniture around gives you the feeling of being in a new space, which, in a confined space, is no mean feat (smile).

• Selfcare

We've started to adopt new habits, such as working out at home, taking care of our skin, reading a book, preparing tasty meals, having a glass of wine when the kids have gone to bed. Simple things that make us feel good, but which are usually at the very bottom of our list of priorities. Let's stop saying we don't have time, let's take it.

Let's get back to basics and prioritize what makes us feel good. We can now ask ourselves: are we going to continue doing all those things that make us feel so good when the confinement ends, or are things going to go back to the way they were before? It's up to us. 

We want to know more about you. How do you feel? What are your essential needs? What are your priorities during this unusual period? If you're having trouble getting through this period of confinement, let us know. Taking a step back and talking things through can often put things into perspective. 

#sharingiscaring