Coronavirus: Michelle Obama speaks to Ellen DeGeneres about ‘important lesson’ of being home with family
‘We just don’t need a lot of the stuff that we have,’ former first lady says
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Michelle Obama has spoken to Ellen DeGeneres about what it is like staying at home with her husband and two daughters, saying this is “like no other time in history”.
Earlier this month, it was announced that The Ellen DeGeneres Show was suspending production until the end of March amid the coronavirus pandemic.
While unable to interview celebrity guests at Warner Bros Studios, DeGeneres has instead being calling up several of her high-profile friends to see how they are doing in self-isolation.
On Monday, the television talk show host called up the former US first lady to discuss how the Obamas are faring on a day-to-day basis.
Obama explained that they are trying their best to “structure” their days, while her daughters, 18-year-old Sasha and 21-year-old Malia, are taking their college classes online.
The 56-year-old said that while the family is “trying to keep a routine going”, they are also “Netflix and chilling” when relaxing.
“This is like no other time in history, particularly for our kids, who are so used to being occupied and stimulated all the time,” Obama said.
“I feel for all the folks who are going to suffer because of what’s going to happen to the economy and we have to be mindful of what we’re going to do to support those folks when this quarantine is over and people are looking at what’s left of their businesses and their lives.”
The best-selling author added that on the “positive side”, being in self-isolation has “forced” her family “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”.
“It’s a good exercise in reminding us that we just don’t need a lot of the stuff that we have,” she stated.
“When times are bad, having each other, having your health, we can do with a lot less and I think that’s an important lesson that I want my kids to understand as they get out there in the world.”
DeGeneres ended her call with Obama by saying she wished to challenge her to a planking match, where they could raise money by asking people to bet on who is likely to win.
When sharing her phone call with Obama on Twitter, DeGeneres wrote that her friend “makes the world a better place”.
Obama responded by tweeting: “Always brightens my day to get a call from my friend Ellen, especially on this rainy Monday at home.
“It’s good to know that even when we’re apart, we’re still got each other #StayAtHome.”
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