Michelle Obama reveals her family's routine during coronavirus quarantine: 'Netflix and chilling happening'
Michelle Obama has revealed that both her daughters, Malia, 21, and Sasha, 18, are back home because of the coronavirus pandemic and shared her family's routine during their self-quarantine period.
The US officially crossed China as the country with the most number of confirmed novel coronavirus cases this week, and the 56-year-old former First Lady revealed what she and the rest of the Obamas have been up to during their isolation to Ellen DeGeneres.
The conversation was posted on Twitter by Ellen and sees the pair talk about how they're keeping busy, what the crisis means for the younger generation, and how the pandemic does have a positive side to it.
"We're just trying to structure our days," Michelle told Ellen of their daily routine. "Everybody's home — the girls are back because colleges are online, so they're off in their respective rooms doing their online classes."
"I think Barack is — I don't know where he is," she continued. "He was on the phone on a conference call; I just got finished with a conference call,' she added. 'We're just trying to keep a routine going, but we've also got a little Netflix and chilling happening."
Malia is a junior at Harvard University, where both Michelle and Barack studied law, while her younger sister is said to be a freshman at the University of Michigan.
Colleges across the country have sent students home and are hosting classes online amidst the pandemic, and Ellen couldn't help but poke fun at Michelle for having her children back under her roof just seven months after they had set off for their higher studies.
"My condolences that the kids are home because you were expressing how happy you were that they were gone," she joked. "I know!" Michelle responded. "I shouldn’t have boasted about that. The Gods were getting me back."
Becoming more serious, the talk show host said difficult times such as this were a good time to reflect on all that's important.
"This is like no other time in history, particularly for our kids who are so used to being occupied and stimulated all the time," she said. "There is some good and bad that goes with it."
"I feel for all the folks who are going to suffer because of what's going to happen to the economy. We have to be mindful about what we're going to do to support these folks when this quarantine is over and people are looking at what's left of their businesses and their lives."
But she insisted that it was not all bad and that the close quarters where everyone has to spend their time together would lead to "real conversations".
"I know for us, it's forced us to continue to sit down with each other, have real conversations, really ask questions and figure out how to keep ourselves occupied without just TV or computers," she said. "It's a good exercise in reminding us that we just don't need a lot of the stuff that we have."
It was a sentiment seemingly shared by Michelle, who said this was a reminder that "having each other" and "having your health" is what's important. "We can do with a lot less," she said. "Think that's an important lesson I want my kids to understand as they get out there the world,' she said. 'Be grateful for what you have and be ready to share it when the time comes because that's really what it's all about."
"Now, we're just happy that we're together and everybody is healthy and safe. Who cares about the other stuff?"