Rekindling and Maintaining Healthy Relationships During a Pandemic

During a pandemic, all of us are responsible to self-isolate and some are even put into quarantine to get better control of the disease and stop it from spreading. These steps being taken to quell a pandemic can negatively impact some of our relationships, especially tightly-knit families who are used to see each other and do things together frequently. In tragic situations, a parent has to be isolated from their kids, something that will immensely affect parent-child relationships.

Discuss the situation as a family

Whenever an issue arises, especially if it involves emotions, the healthiest action to take is to sit down as a family and talk it out. A pandemic lockdown can threaten the strength of any relationship, even among family members. To survive it with still-healthy or rekindled relationships, you have to prioritize talking about the disease and the reasons it is essential to maintain a time of isolation. Have an in-depth discussion about how the separation will go and what methods of communication you will adopt to stay in touch. It is imperative that you give each other regular checkups and updates until the period of isolation is over.

Have regular check-ins

In this time and age, there is almost no reason not to regularly check up on our loved ones, especially now that we all have more time in our hands than we used to. Texts and video calls make it possible to remain connected with people, despite the distance. You can even set a time for group calls where the whole family can participate in different locations. Technology allows us to be there for our loved ones, no matter where we are, so take advantage of it.

Play online games together

During a pandemic, it is not about if there would be damage, but how much. Staying connected and doing fun activities with your loved ones can minimize the inevitable disaster. While talking and chatting over the phone are great ways to stay connected with them, those are not the only activities you can do with your family. There are different kinds of games online to suit various family interests, depending on the sort of things you like as a family. You can play board games, sports games, role play, strategy, adventure, and other exciting group games.

Conduct family projects from a distance

Who says family projects only involve painting bedroom walls and turning a basement into a movie room? The family project does not have to be complicated. It could be starting a family YouTube channel, blogging, business, or prepare the family’s genealogical tree. A family project will ensure that you frequently communicate as a family. It will also bring about some challenges that you will have to work together to overcome, thereby uniting the family. 

Plan together as a family

During a crisis, it is easy for anyone to feel sullen and even scared. So planning for the future can encourage positive emotions from your family. During idle times in self-isolation or lockdown, try to plan together as a family the gathering you will have post-pandemic or your next family vacation. You can disseminate tasks and make decisions together until the whole plan comes along. Planning together gives family members the feeling of being loved and being relevant, which plays a significant role in building connections and reconnecting for those who had lost touch.

Support each other’s goals and aspirations

It is essential during a pandemic lockdown to focus our minds on goals and resolutions, and away from thoughts of doom. Encourage family members to create individual vision boards and also establish a mutual one as a family. Discuss and help each other evaluate past accomplishments and failures and generate new objectives you would tackle once the pandemic is over. By being involved in each other’s lives, you build a stronger bond, guaranteed to withstand any crisis that may threaten to shake your walls.

Forgive and rekindle your relationships

Every family has gone through some hurdles along the way that strengthened their bond. Unfortunately, some families are still in the middle of familial problems. Hard times can be an excellent opportunity to tackle these problems. Openly talk about these issues with involved family members and forgive or ask forgiveness where necessary. Paradoxical, though it may seem, a pandemic is an excellent opportunity to mend and start over any broken or wounded relationship with other family members. It may hurt at first when dealing with these issues, especially if there were deeply buried emotions. Still, the intense feeling of relief and restoration will be liberating once relationships are mended.

The next time you see your family, give them a delightful box of First Harvest Gift Set from Orgaanics and make up for the lost time.