For many families, the first week of staying at home due to Covid-19 pandemic felt a bit like vacation. However, by the second week, things began to change with a myriad Zoom meetings, trying to homeschool while working remotely, and adjusting to everyone being in the same space at the same time. We’re sure many families are feeling like they are in the spinning cups of the Mad Tea Party at Disney World.
Here are a few tips to help in managing the stay-at-home orders and maintaining peace in the home.
COVID-19 resources for Families and Children:
https://family.adventist.org/tips-for-surviving-and-thriving-during-covid-19-for-families/
https://children.adventist.org/coronavirus-(covid-19)-resources
1. Use this time as an opportunity to nurture family relations; cook and eat meals together, take walks outside together if you can, play board games and read books together, be positive and laugh a lot.
2. Make a schedule together as a family, try to stick to it, but be flexible.
3. Be intentional about healthy and safe communication; affirm and validate emotions that come from anxiety from the pandemic, practice the fruit of the spirit especially patience, kindness, gentleness and self-control.
4. Nurture couple time; set aside time just to connect as a couple, commit to working together as a team during this time, take the time to talk together as friends.
5. Have family worship daily: sing familiar songs, read and memorize scripture and pray together. Download the Fun & Easy Worship Ideas PDF
6. Reach out to single and widowed relatives and friends who live alone.
7. Download Family Ministries Planbook for family nurturing resources. Click here to access to the Planbook.
8. Watch family-friendly shows such as Real Family Talk on the Hope Channel for helpful advice on marriage and parenting issues. www.hopetv.org/realfamilytalk/
9. Practice making emotional deposits into one another’s emotional bank account. Go to www.family.adventist.org for ideas.
Article by Willie Oliver and Elaine P. Oliver, Photo from the GC Family Ministries website
Willie Oliver, a family sociologist, pastoral counselor and certified family life educator, is director of Adventist Family Ministries at the General Conference.
Elaine P. Oliver, a licensed clinical professional counselor and certified family life educator, is associate director of Adventist Family Ministries at the General Conference.