Getting Closer Through Social Distancing

Getting Closer Through Social Distancing

It seems like we may be asked to continue with social distancing for the unforeseeable future. Life as we know has been completely turned upside down and many things seem out of our control. Many of us feel a sense of loss. We've only just begun and many of us have lost vacations, weddings and other special events. Most importantly, we have had to temporarily give up our community. Instead of focusing on what is lost, let's look at what can be gained. 

As everyone is distanced from the communities in which they are a part of - children separated from school and extracurricular communities;.adults separated from work communities - there is an opportunity to connect and become closer to your most important community, those in closest proximity to you, your family.

In order to grow closer to your family (this includes your children, spouse and even pets), you must be intentional. Here are some opportunities for you to grow closer to those you love most.

Spend time away from technology. Technology is great. It will be our saving grace as we use it to connect with work and allow our children to learn remotely. It will help keep us entertained as days go by. At the same time, it can isolate us from the very people we share space with. Spend some time tech free or doing tech together. Our family is having a Marvel movie marathon, so every night after dinner we gather together to watch a different Marvel movie. Spend less time time on social media and more time socializing with those in your house.

Have dinner together. Ask family members to join you in the kitchen. Spend time talking around the dinner table. Engage in discussion. Usually, we discuss the best part of our days. This may be difficult if the entire day was spent at home, so think of another question that gets your family sharing their thoughts and feelings. 

Go outside. We live in South Florida and have a pool so this is easy for us. When the temps get cooler by us we light up our fire pit and play Would You Rather which is quite interesting with seven and 12 year old boys. Many of their questions involve body parts or bodily fluids, yet it is a great time to get to know one another on a deeper level. If you have a dog, he or she will love it if you spend more time going for walks or playing in the yard.

Teach your pet a new trick. This can be a challenge and quite time consuming. Guess what, you now have lots of time, so look up some new tricks to teach Fido and get started right away.

Share your faith as a family. Set aside time each day to read a devotion as a family and pray. We have a list of people we pray for every day on our way to school. We know need to find a different time in the day to pray for those people but it is still important and connects us as a family.

Have a date night. There are new movies you can rent right from your device. You can even watch a Broadway show at home. Get creative. You could even get dressed nice if you want, put the kids to bed early and spend time doing something as a couple.

Play board games, do puzzles, work on a home project. The most important thing is to not spend so much time reading the news and isolating yourself. Try and set up a routine for yourself and your family. Do things together and be purposeful.

This time can seem like a downer if you choose to look at it negatively. Instead, consider how you are helping your community be healthier and create opportunities to grow closer to your children, spouse, pets, and faith.