5 ways to stay sane with the whole family at home

This topic is close to the hearts of many of you, as it’s not easy being at home with kids and sometimes partners too. With the added stress of having to create some sort of normality in a situation that is anything BUT normal. I do however believe that 5 tips can help. Some require a bit of work, but the pay-off is worth it.

1. Getting everyone dressed - That probably sounds superficial, but some psychotherapists say, that how we dress can sometimes correlate to the way we feel and to our productivity. So while it may be the most comfortable option to sit in jogging bottoms and a baggy t-shirt (believe me I know how good it feels), it may not be in your best emotional interests or for your work to do so. As for the kids, it may be annoying for them to get changed if they’re only going to get their clothes dirty, but once again, the change will do them just as much good.
2. Create a schedule for adults - One of the largest bugbears can be the the “fair” allocation of taking care of the kids. This is a tricky situation all round. Stay at home mums/dads have another person to feed at lunchtime plus they have the secret hope that their other half will help with the kids now that they're home. Or there’s the family where both parents are working full time. From all the articles I’ve read so far, surveys show that women are still bearing the brunt of this change and being forced to simply do more. ‘Women on the Frontlines of COVID 19 by Forbes, provides a well-rounded view of what women are currently experiencing. What can be done at home? Take 30 minutes to discuss the upcoming week concerning the known variables and plan accordingly. Who’s cooking lunch on these three days, who’s helping with the homework? This should hopefully take the edge off any late-night thoughts. For single parents, this is no doubt harder as you are responsible for everything and there isn't another person to take the load off. In this case, the most important thing is to try to find time to recharge your batteries. 'You can't pour from an empty cup'.
3. Plan, plan, plan - this time for the kids. Boredom can creep up on us at any time and kids even more so. I’m not saying to create a timetable, but it never hurts to have some nice surprises up your sleeve. Whether it’s interactive books, painting, going for a ride or letting them watch something on the iPad for 30 minutes. And for those of you with school-age kids, I know it’s even harder with the added need for you to be teachers. Learning with flexibility is probably the best course of action. Meeting all the curriculum needs without stress.
4. Food glorious food – with a change in routine, there should always be a foundation meal that should never be missed. Whether it’s lunchtime or dinner, there should be a communal time where everyone can switch off together. No questions about homework or meetings, just time to enjoy each other’s company
5. Outside contact – as much as we love our immediate families, we still aren’t used to spending all of our time together, so this is where Facetime, WhatsApp and Houseparty all come in useful. Make sure you call the grandparents and your kids' friends or your friends just to catch up. Let them play games online with their friends for a little bit or do TikTok challenges. The phrase goes ‘no man is an island’ and neither is a family so get in contact with others.

I hope you’re all staying sane and healthy and we just have to keep going. Every day doesn’t have to be a good one, but keep hope that the next day will be better.