Marriages and relationships nationwide
are under a very unique pressure right now.
Over in China where self quarantining
has been in effect since January,
think about that, January, February and into March,
there have been several reports
of a spike in divorce applications
with one law office receiving over 300 filings
in just three weeks when normally,
they would get maybe a dozen.
Experts predict the divorce trend in China
will eventually make it over here to the U.S.
as we all spend more and more time together.
So how do we, and I include my wife Robin
and myself in this,
maintain harmony in our marriages and relationships
during this time?
Well, I know how I feel
but I can't speak for Robin.
So I'm gonna bring her into the conversation now.
You know, I think part of it,
we seem to be getting along really well,
at least I think so,
but I think that we're not sick.
No, we're not sick.
We don't have the flu, we don't have anything
which puts extra pressure and tension on you
and both of us are feeling fine.
But let's be
How is this going for you?
Did you just stop at let's be?
Notice he didn't say honest.
Why didn't you say honest?
No, just kidding.
So, actually we're doing fine
because we're going along with our normal lifestyle.
And when we're at home,
we're not glued together all the time.
He's doing his thing with research and working
for these shows he's doing here at home and
I really admire him for that.
I'm so proud of him for that.
So, I leave him alone to do his thing
and I go do my thing at the house
and it's pretty much normal activity,
normal life for us.
However, things have changed of course.
I'm actually cleaning out closets and cleaning out drawers
and rearranging things in my own personal space.
But that's something I love to do
and our life has been so busy over the years
that I haven't been able to do that.
It brings me comfort.
So, we're allowing ourselves to do things
that we normally do, but also add in things
that bring us comfort.
Yeah, and I was kinda talking to one of my friends
the other day on FaceTime and I said
"We're a little embarrassed that we're such homebodies
"that we're not really noticing a big difference
That's true.
"in terms of staying home"
because we do value our time at home
because when we're out, it's really hectic
and I think part of it is
You and I talked about it at the very beginning
and I think it's important to acknowledge
and not just kind of go silent about it
but to acknowledge and say
You know what?
We are in a different time here.
You have to acknowledge that and say
Look, this is gonna be different.
We're gonna be spending a lot of time together
and we're gonna be here more
occupying the same space than we normally would.
Is that an issue? Is it a problem?
Is there something that I can do
to make this easier for you or you for me?
And I think if you just talk to your partner about it
straight up and not pretend that there's not something
kind of hanging in the air,
then I think it makes it a whole lot easier to deal with.
That's true, that's true.
Now some of the things that we have done
that's not always common,
we live alone of course and so kids are raised,
we've always cooked together.
But now we've stepped that up.
We've cooked every meal together and
we really are having fun doing that.
We've binge watched TV at times before
but now we're really looking
He's searching for fun movies, they're different.
So we've kind of added a little difference
to what we've always done.
Different movies, different foods, those kind of things.
So we are purposely looking for some variety
in the normal things we do here at home.
Yeah, like we made chicken and dumplings the other night.
Yes, and I'm always the one that makes them.
Yeah, and I never knew how you did that.
So we got in here and I got the rolling pin
Yes.
and was actually working on it.
I had to make him stop.
He was getting a little too thin.
They were getting a little Just kidding.
They were falling apart when I was putting them in.
We had a ball.
But really, you can find things to do
and here's the thing.
Just resolve.
Think about how many times you've said
"I wish I had more time with the children.
"I wish I had more time for us to talk and hang out
"and not have something pressuring us time wise."
And so I think as we've done that,
we've really held on to that and grasped time.
And listen, this is a difficult time
because there's so many unknowns
and you've got the pressure thinking
My gosh, am I gonna get sick
and how serious is it gonna be?
But it's also okay to have a sense of humor
and we've been on FaceTime with Jay and Erica
and Avery and London and we've yucked it up with them,
with Jordan who's living out in Malibu now.
We've had so much fun talking back and forth
and gotten where there's like five or six of us on screen
at the same time
and had a good time
and it's okay to laugh
Oh, yes! and have fun with this.
You gotta do that.