Here are a couple of ways that you can work together with your family during this period of uncertaintly, such as communication, setting family goals and routine, and designating break out areas in the home.
Communication
It is not unusual for families to feel heightened during these times of uncertainty. Your family may have dealt with testing times before, but this is likely to be an entirely foreign experience for many of us
When experiencing negative emotions, try to be mindful of your responses. Communication is key. It is very important to be transparent with one another and express how you are feeling. Of course, this does not justify being unkind, but it does help to ease the possibility of reacting in a way that you might regret later. Try to make a time to sit down with your daughter and have an open conversation about how she is feeling. A creative way to allow your daughter the opportunity to share their feelings openly could be by creating a “Thought Box”, with the idea of your daughter writing down her thoughts and unpacking these together with her later.
Set family goals and routine
With the increased periods of time spent together at home, it is important to sit down and discuss family goals and to be clear with your expectations.
Children thrive on routine, so you could negotiate homework time, or ask them to help with chores around the house, etc. This could be in the form of a “Rewards System,” whereby teenagers have a clear understanding of expectations and their contribution is acknowledged through positive reinforcement.
For yourself, this may look like separating ‘home life’ with ‘working from home’. Take the time for quality family bonding, where each member can connect in a shared activity. For example, a collaborative project such as organising old family photos into a scrap book is a perfect way to reconnect and share memories. Also, a television series that you could all sit down and watch together would create something to look forward to once a week.
Designate break out areas in the home
When we are constantly together for extended times, it is normal to want your own space. Designating separate areas around the house for ‘work’ or ‘chill-outs,’ can be valuable.
Making activity corners will help you to feel that you are doing things differently. For example, knowing that the lounge room is for chill-out time and not for work. When setting these designated areas, make sure it is negotiated with all members of the family, so that you all have a clear understanding of this agreement.
Take a short break in this space and do something you want to do. Self-care is so important - whether this is reading a book or enjoying a cup of tea, so remember to be kind to yourselves too.
Mia Davies
College Social Worker
