Although it may feel like our days are all full of depressing events and statistics, that’s not the only picture. There are a lot of pretty amazing things happening in the world too and our friend and contributor Lynn Roulo has shared this list below to give us a wonderful reason to smile on today's special March 25th Greek holiday.

• The Goo Goo Dolls’ lead singer held a porch concert to help local small businesses impacted by the coronavirus.

• Formula 1 race car teams work with UK authorities to repurpose their expertise to build ventilators, which are required and in short supply for those with serious cases of COVID-19.

• Fashion designer Christian Siriano and Dov Charney repurpose their workshops to make face masks and medical gowns.

• 300 Chinese doctors and 31 tons of medical supplies arrived in Italy from China to help the Italians battle the coronavirus.

• Spanish police sing to families in lockdown in Mallorca.

• L’Oreal starts a solidarity initiative and is arming health care, pharmacy, and food distribution workers with hand sanitizer to help fight the coronavirus.

• Tesla CEO Elon Musk is gearing up to donate 250,000 N95 face masks for hospitals and to begin production of ventilators with the goal of having 1,000 ready by next week. 

To read this article in full, please visit Lynn's website. 

Lynn is an American Kundalini yoga and Enneagram instructor teaching a unique combination of the two systems, combining the physical benefits of Kundalini yoga with the psychological growth tools of the Enneagram.

Most of her adult life has been as a Certified Public Accountant (US CPA) working in the Silicon Valley/San Francisco technology start up and venture capital industries. In 2012, she decided to move to Athens, Greece for purely intuitive reasons. She's not Greek by heritage, she did not have a job here, she didn’t speak any Greek (at the time), and there wasn't a Greek man in the picture either! She simply had a really clear feeling that she should go to Greece. And so she did.

We're thrilled to collaborate with Lynn as an official XpatAthens Content Contributor! To learn more about her and all the great things she does in Athens please click here.

The coronavirus (CO-VID19), which originated in 2019 in Wuhan, China, has been spreading globally.

It is a serious threat, less because of the raw numbers involved (as of March 24, 2020, there are more than 423,600 known infected cases with a global population of over 7 billion people) but more because the trajectory is dangerous, the spread is exponential and the growth occurs very quickly.

The virus contained would not have been that big of a deal. The virus spreading is a big deal. It is now clear the virus is spreading far and wide quickly. The main issue is that the hospitals in affected areas don’t have the capacity to treat the huge spike in coronavirus cases. We have already seen this in Italy: people are dying because there are not enough ventilators and other medical resources to keep them alive. This is essentially a timing issue.
 

Yogically, we are trained to make decisions from a place called “neutral mind.” There are three yogic mind centers: positive mind, negative mind, and neutral mind. Ideally, we activate and use all three minds, but the best decisions come from a place of neutrality. This neutrality helps maintain balance.

Below is an overview of these three mind states and how they might influence your decisions relating to the coronavirus.

The negative mind might say:

It is easy to see how our negative mind can spin out of control. The worldwide spread of the coronavirus is extremely serious. Panic and over-reactivity are not just counterproductive, they are potentially dangerous. Hoarding resources when others are in dire need may cost lives. Undermining government efforts for containment is dangerous and may cost lives. If free movement hasn’t been taken away in your area, it means you need to be even more diligent and responsible for your actions. Your poor judgment may cost lives.

This mind might say:

In the environment of the coronavirus, the Positive Mind can be dangerous. It is important to understand the big picture and how your positive mind might actually endanger other people during this period. We are in the middle of a serious worldwide crisis battling the infectious disease. It is everyone’s job to get educated, accept the reality of the situation and exercise personal responsibility. Lives are at stake.

In order to maintain balance, this is the mind we need to use when making decisions. The neutral mind might suggest:

There seems to be a worldwide mix of the negative mind in overdrive and the positive mind in denial.  The coronavirus also gives us a great opportunity to exercise more balanced thinking. Scientists predict more situations like this over the next decades from extreme weather and natural disasters, to widespread disease and epidemics.  If we are going to survive and thrive in this new world we’ve created, we are going to need to learn to access, cultivate and exercise our neutral mind.

This content was originally published at LynnRoulo.com.

Lynn is an American Kundalini yoga and Enneagram instructor teaching a unique combination of the two systems, combining the physical benefits of Kundalini yoga with the psychological growth tools of the Enneagram.

 

Most of her adult life has been as a Certified Public Accountant (US CPA) working in the Silicon Valley/San Francisco technology start-up and venture capital industries. In 2012, she decided to move to Athens, Greece for purely intuitive reasons.  She's not Greek by heritage, she did not have a job here, she didn’t speak any Greek (at the time), and there wasn't a Greek man in the picture either! She simply had a really clear feeling that she should go to Greece. And so she did.

 

We're thrilled to collaborate with Lynn as an official XpatAthens Content Contributor! To learn more about her and all the great things she does in Athens please click here.

These days my 7-year-old daughter wants to play 'hospital' all the time. We pretend to be the nurses helping patients who are infected with the coronavirus and have to be operated. At first, no one survived; everyone died at once. "We can't go on like this, I need to change the scenario," I thought to myself. As I was given the role of head nurse, I changed the story, and from that point on, everyone recovers from their illness! Hooray!

News about the coronavirus is everywhere, and children hear it all. Our new living conditions, the fear of what has already happened topped with the fear that "we haven't seen the worst yet," affect them directly. You need to talk to your child in a way that makes him or her feel safe so that they don't get more scared than they may already be. So how are you going to do this?

First, you start with an open discussion about the virus. After all, your child does see people in masks and gloves. It's an excellent opportunity to talk about precautions and to put things into perspective. Don't forget that you're the one filtering the news for your child.

You give information according to your child's age. Talk to him or her about their concerns. Ask them about what they already know, what they believe will happen, and how they feel about it. Maybe they have questions. Your answers need to be honest.

If you are concerned about the situation, make sure you calm down first before you talk to your child. Panic doesn't help anyone.

As children are self-centered, it's easy for them to think they will get the virus. If this is the case with your child, reassure them by saying that children cannot catch the virus as easily as adults and go through the precautions they need to take. Children feel empowered when they know what to do to protect themselves.

Follow a routine, especially now that schools are closed. Routine gives children a sense of security. Regular meals and sleeping hours help children stay healthy and happy.

Keep the communication channel with your child open. It is perfectly ok to admit that you do not know everything, that you do not have the answers to every question, and that you will keep your child up to date on any critical developments.

Remember, you're setting an example for your children. That's why you're staying home!

If there’s a topic you’re interested in and would like to learn more about you may contact me via email. For more information about me and my work check the XpatAthens Directory or visit my website. Because this is your life!

 

There's so much information circulating regarding the Coronavirus disease that it's imperative to be able to distinguish what's true and what's not.

The senior director of infection prevention at Johns Hopkins puts things straight to keep you and your family can stay healthy and well.

FALSE. Right now, there is no vaccine for the new coronavirus. Even though scientists have already started working on one, developing safe vaccine will take many months.

 

 

FALSE. None of these practices will protect you from COVID-19; in fact, some of them can be very dangerous. CLICK HERE to find out how to stay protected.

FALSE. It is a known fact that viruses can change over time. Occasionally, a disease outbreak happens when a virus that is common in an animal undergoes changes and passes to humans, which is likely how the new coronavirus came to be.

 

FALSE. Researchers are still studying to find out more about how the coronavirus infects people. Scientists have noted that most viruses like this one do not stay alive on surfaces for very long. Consequently, it is not likely to contract the virus from a package that was in transit for days or weeks.

FALSE. Specific models of professional, tight-fitting respirators can protect medic as they care for infected patients. For the general public wearing disposable surgical masks is not recommended. However, people with a respiratory illness can wear these masks to lessen their chance of infecting others.

There's no better time to give your immune system a boost; with vitamin and nutrient-packed food that will help you stay healthy and strong!

These 4 recipes from BBC Good Food are easy, delicious, and super healthy. See below for detailed instuctions.

 

 

• 100g coconut yogurt
• 3 tbsp milk of your choice
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• 3cm piece of fresh ginger peeled
• 1 small ripe banana
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tbsp oats
• juice of ½ a lemon

 

 

 

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and diced
• 200g diced carrot
• 1 tbsp curry powder containing turmeric
• 100g red lentils
• 700ml low-sodium vegetable stock
• 1 can reduced-fat coconut milk
• coriander and naan bread, to serve

 

 

 

• 1 tbsp sunflower oil
• 340g of chicken breast fillet cut into thick strips (goujons)
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• 200g tender stem broccoli stems halved if very long
• 200ml chicken stock
• 1 heaped tsp cornflour
• 1 tbsp clear honey or 2 tsp golden caster sugar
• the zest of half a lemon
• juice of a whole lemon
• a large handful of roasted cashews

 

 

 

 

• 4 small fresh beetroots, about 200g
• 1½ tbsp rapeseed oil
• 1 tsp coriander seeds, lightly crushed
• 2 skinless salmon or trout fillets
• 2½ small oranges, plus the zest of 1 and juice of half
• 3 tbsp pumpkin seeds
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 4 handfuls baby spinach leaves
• 1 avocado, thickly sliced

 

 

 

To find these and even more immune friendly recipes, please visit: BBC Good Food

What are you watching tonight? This seems to be a very common question these days and in the weeks to come, parents will have to get really creative about keeping their children entertained! 

How about some family-friendly documentaries!? They can be just as exciting and entertaining as narrative films but at the same time they're educational and powerful. This list of documentaries for kids will entertain, teach, captivate, and hopefully generate a lasting interest on the subject matter. Happy watching!

1. Planet Earth, Ages: 6+

Narrated by David Attenborough, each 50-minute episode in this 11-part, Emmy-winning series features a dazzling portrait of a geographical region or wildlife habitat. The far-flung locations and impossible moments with some of the world’s most astonishing creatures can help inspire respect for our planet and the desire to preserve our fragile ecosystem.

2. March of the Penguins, Ages: 6+

Narrated by Morgan Freeman, this blockbuster documentary tells the story of the emperor penguins in the South Pole, and their yearly mating ritual and harsh journeys to build a family. The imagery is stunning, the penguins adorable, and the story will help children understand animal behavior. Expect to cry, expect to feel deeply moved, and expect to hold your own family close.

3. Bears, Ages: 6+

This breathtaking documentary follows a mama bear and her three cubs as she teaches them how to survive in the Alaskan wilderness. What’s incredible about this film is that cameras go inside the bears’ den, allowing us to witness her cubs’ first moments. This is a great film for kids because it reinforces the mother-child bond in a way they’ve likely never seen. 

4. Spellbound, Ages 8+

This documentary follows eight competitors participating in the 1999 Scripps National Spelling Bee, showing how much kids train to compete, and how much families sacrifice for their wunderkind spellers. 

5. Mad Hot Ballroom, Ages: 8+

Mad Hot Ballroom documents the lives of a few New York City students who are in a dancing competition sponsored by the American Ballroom Theatre. The kids learn how to dance and share their lives with the viewer. The film won a few awards and is funny, heartwarming, and legitimately dazzling. 

6. The Last Lions, Ages: 8+

This African nature documentary film follows a story of survival, as a lioness faces an arduous battle to preserve the lives of herself and her three cubs. Emotional, eye-gripping, and magnificent it focuses on the burdens of parenthood in a lion family.

7. In the Shadow of the Moon, Ages: 9+

Join David Attenborough on his ground-breaking exploration into a spectacular miniature universe never normally seen, but teeming all around us. Open your eyes to the bizarre, ferocious, and surprisingly beautiful world of the invertebrates and get acquainted with incredible life-forms and startling behaviors!

How It's Made is a documentary television series explaining how common, everyday items including clothing, accessories, food, industrial products, musical instruments, and sporting goods are manufactured. Curious kids and adults will learn a lot from the show, and some segments can really broaden their perspective. 

This five-part documentary series tells the incredible story of how humans left Africa to colonize the world. The fascinating series undertakes five epic journeys across the globe, tracing the ancient routes of our early ancestors to reveal the extraordinary and brutal challenges they faced. Using the latest genetic and archaeological evidence, it shows how humans gradually adapted, culturally and physiologically, in response to their environment.

Originally posted in Greek on InfoKids.gr

With school closures across the country because of the coronavirus pandemic, children's stuck indoors means boredom is inevitably knocking at the door (constantly)!

Although finding creative activities to keep kids entertained proves to be a rather challenging task, luckily there are numerous fun online programs to fill your time while in family house quarantine! 

Drawing Programs

Lunch Doodles: Author and artist Mo Williams, invites kids into his studio and shows them how to draw some of his iconic characters, which translates to 30 minutes of your kid quietly drawing. Learners worldwide can draw, doodle and explore new ways of writing by visiting Mo’s studio virtually once a day for the next few weeks. Watch the first episode here

Quick Draw: Can Google guess your drawing? Quick Draw is an online game developed by Google that challenges players to draw a picture of an object or idea and then uses a neural network artificial intelligence to guess what the drawings represent. The AI learns from each drawing, increasing its ability to guess correctly in the future. You can start playing here

Tux Paint is a free, award-winning software for children ages 3 to 12. It combines an easy-to-use interface, fun sound effects, and an encouraging cartoon mascot who guides children as they use the program. Kids are presented with a blank canvas and a variety of drawing tools to help them be creative. You can download it here

 

Educational Programs

Met Kids: The Metropolitan Museum of Art gives children across the globe the opportunity to explore The Met using an interactive map, travel through more than 5,000 years of art, discover fun facts about works of art, and try out creative projects. Start learning from a kid-friendly explanation!

Crossword Labs: Crossword Labs is a simple way to build, print, share and solve crossword puzzles online for free. It is ideal both for younger and older kids and helps them enhance their linguistic skills. Create your first crossword puzzle here!

Jigsaw Planet: If puzzles are your thing, this is the ultimate website for you. Not only kids can solve numerous puzzles but they can also create puzzles and compete with other users. Start your puzzle-solving journey here!

Plastelina Logic Games: You can find numerous challenging games including classic constrained "crossing" problems, pattern-matching puzzles, and memory games that will help kids keep their brains sharp. Start playing now!

Brain Pop: This educational website features more than 1,000 short animated movies for students in grades K-12, together with quizzes and related materials covering the subjects of science, social studies, English, math, engineering and technology, health, and arts and music. Get free access now!

 

Computer Science & Programs

Code: While schools are closed, Code makes it possible to continue learning at home. Children of all ages can try out fun computer science tutorials, watch videos about computer science concepts, and even build their projects. Let the learning begin!

ScratchJr: With ScratchJr, young children (ages 5-7) can program their own interactive stories and games. In the process, they learn to solve problems, design projects, and express themselves creatively on the computer. Download it here!

 

Fitness Programs

Cosmic Kids Yoga: Cosmic Kids Yoga provides healthy screentime for 21st-century kids by uploading brilliantly fun videos that teach kids how to do yoga. Parents and teachers report significant improvements in self-regulation, focus, and empathy. Discover interactive adventures that build strength, balance, and confidence! 

GoNoodle: GoNoodle helps kids stay active, focused, and calm through yoga, mindfulness videos, and downloadable curricular activities. Get kids moving now! 

Kids Workout: YouTuber Moe Jones teaches children how to get in shape through fun and healthy exercises. Join in now! 

Family Fun Cardio Workout: Get your heart rate up in your living room with this fun workout from Class FitSugar host Anna Renderer. Featuring cardio moves that feel like games and challenges where the winner gets prizes this workout is the perfect way for the family to get active together. Let the fun begin!

As more and more businesses practice social distancing to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, millions of employees across the globe are working from home (WFH) for the first time. At the same time, schools and daycare centers are rapidly closing their doors for the same reasons. While the challenges during this time are real, so are the solutions. If you are looking for ways to create healthy habits during coronavirus self-isolation, Thrive Global has gathered some productivity tips to help you out!

Define a new morning routine. According to a recent study, children have greater energy levels than well-trained adult endurance athletes, so, staying home all-day must be a rather boring experience for your kids. The days can feel very long and unstructured. Spending your mornings together, whether it’s a family breakfast, reading a book together, or choosing their clothes, can help them feel like they’re more secure.

Set up your workspace. Even if you don’t have a home office, it’s important to establish a defined work area at home and make your kids understand that when you’re in work mode, you’re not to be disturbed. You can also create an "office" for your children, a designated space for play, reading, and drawing while you are working.

Help your kids stay connected. Technology isn't all bad! Setting up a virtual playdate, using FaceTime or Skype, can help your children connect with their friends. This is extremely important, especially if you're raising an only child. You don't want your children to stop socializing with other kids since this will worsen the effects of a sedentary lifestyle. 

Make a schedule for the next day. Every family member can share what is going on in their day, and your children can add in activities like watering the plants, art projects, and reading, as well as their meals and snack breaks. This replicates the structure they’re used to at school and helps you plan ahead at the same time.

Concert halls and music venues in Greece and all across Europe are remaining closed as part of the collective efforts to contain the spread of the Covid-19 virus.

 

Music and art will always find their way into our hearts and lives; it's our fellow Italians singing in their balconies or famous artists performing live from their homes to bring comfort and joy to all of who need it during these trying times. As a member of the European Concert Hall Organisation (ECHO), Megaron – The Athens Concert Hall has joined the collective effort to bring enchanting music, from some of Europe's best concert halls, right to your home!

 

Megaron – The Athens Concert Hall invites you to travel virtually to some of the most historic concert venues in Europe, through a series of exceptional performances that will be streamed via Facebook from March 23 to March 27 at 21:00. All you need to do is sit back, relax, and enjoy the music!

The Museum of Cycladic Art has launched an excellent online program for children of all ages!

Although the museum remains closed, through a series of online activities they invite us on a creative journey through time. The online programs aim to familiarize kids with how children in ancient Greece had fun and challenge them to try and recreate some of the most iconic ancient Greek toys and games. 

Since ancient times the pedagogical value and significance of toys has been well established. Children used to play with rattles, dolls, wheeled toys, spinning tops, carved wooden animals and more, and although most of these toys sound pretty boring today, they enjoyed their toys just as much as children do today. Team games were also quite popular as many ancient Greek vases show images of children playing games together. Hide and seek, blind man’s buff, statues, hopscotch, puzzles, and riddles are some of the games played in ancient Greece just as they still are today! 

The museum invites kids to have fun online and get them excited about ancient culture by digging deep into Greek history and culture! Discover the Museum of Cycladic Art's online repository here.