Greetings! So, we’ve discussed how to keep ourselves sane enough to survive this pandemic by practicing self-care, but what if you are responsible for others’ well-being? Many of us have spouses, children, elderly parents, and so forth that rely on us daily for care and protection. After we’ve provided our essential needs to self, our loved ones will follow suit naturally of receiving an extended level of care to help with their sustainment.
In the complexity of the coronavirus, you’re most likely experiencing increased stressors. For some, through no fault of your own, finances are different due to furloughs and layoffs. You’re trying to hold it all together and fight for whatever normalcy you can garner. For others, you may be considered an essential worker and although this uncharted craziness should allow you to take the time to ensure your family is well, you have to keep going as if all is well in every aspect of your life.
How can you balance it all and demonstrate to your family that you all will come out on the other side of this unscathed? I don’t know if unscathed is even possible for any of us because this monumental, history-making event will most likely affect us all. It’s pretty much impossible to think that any of us are going to come through this unchanged, so I like to think of it as evolution taking place for mankind.
No matter what the makeup is in your family, we can all strive to keep our families intact. Family isn’t always blood relation and consists of those who love you unconditionally, despite your shortcomings. A family is supportive and caring of its’ members and there to help you to become the best you. The support is reciprocal and should never be one-sided. This means, you and your family are in this together and will rely on one another to come out on the other side- scathed but stronger and forever united! (Notice how I changed “unscathed” to “scathed” 🙂 ).
I want to give you some ideas to utilize with your family to increase unity, no matter what type of family that you have. All may not apply, but I am sure a few will. 🙂
- Use this time to sop up all of the family time that you can withstand! Family game nights are so much fun and a way to continue to connect and to reprioritize your family. Movie nights, family walks, coloring contests….whatever just soak it all up!
- Zoom, Skype, Messenger, GotoMeeting are all apps available to connect to your loved ones who are not in the same household as you. Schedule a weekly call to check in with everybody.
- Limit the time you and your family spend on the news and media outlets. Yes, it is important to stay in the know, but when it starts to affect your sleep and place you in an anxious state, it’s time to cutback.
- Encourage your children or youth to use their words. We know that many of the youth today are addicted to electronics (phones, tablets, laptops, etc.,) and can get so entranced that they are not engaging in conversation. Designate a time with zero technology and it being family talk time to discuss whatever they want.
- Keep the chores the same. If your children have duties such as maintaining bathroom cleanliness, washing dishes, taking out trash, etc., do not change it. Routines that they are responsible for should remain the same.
- Try not to add any additional stress to children. Yes, this may be a difficult time for all in the household, but identify the adult problems and allow them to remain just that. Children won’t be children for long and sometimes are forced to grow into adulthood before their time, but if you can keep adult problems with the adults, do!
- Spring Cleaning is in full effect! Imagine coming out of this with clean closets and dust free baseboards. Nice! If your kids have clothes or toys that they have outgrown, it’s a great time to organize for donation to your favorite charity.
- Show children how to be a good neighbor. Are there any elderly neighbors in your neighborhood who need help with taking their trash out or someone to grab a few items from the grocery store?
- Ask your support circle for help. Are you having a difficult time buying groceries or resources for paying your monthly expenses? Speak up, you may be surprised who has answers or support in your support circle.
- Build your support circle if you realize that the tip above does not apply to you. As stated in my last blog post and probably all of the future ones, a support circle is essential and necessary to get through life’s journeys.
- Never take for granted your beautiful family. Life is but a blink of an eye, so always be grateful and teach them the same so that this ideal is a generational gift: GRATITUDE.
- Pray, meditate, moments of silence, reading scriptures or any spiritual practice that your family engages in can further unite you.
- LIVE, LOVE, LAUGH. No explanation needed.
- READ together. One of my favorites. A good book can help to temporarily escape. Go ahead and get lost in a book. YOU SO DESERVE IT.
- Plan ahead. We will eventually get beyond this and it’s important to make plans, set goals, make a list and eventually achieve all of these things for you and your family.
LET’S CHAT! LEAVE A MESSAGE BELOW IF YOU’D LIKE AND HELP OTHERS WITH ANY SUGGESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE!
***I hope any and everything that I post on my blog helps you and enhances your life in many positive ways. In the event that you need mental help, please contact a local therapist in your area; however, if you are in need of immediate assistance for an emergency, please dial 911.
Next week’s topic: CORONAVIRUS, YOU, AND YOUR MATE
Reading these encouraging words each morning, is like sipping on a good cup of coffee…