Posted on 10th November, 2020
The current situation we find ourselves in with all the pandemic-related restrictions has surely taken its toll on our social lives. Being forced to spend a lot more time at home has definitely made family life harder, especially for parents. I have had many requests for help from overwhelmed parents recently.
Many parents are now faced with juggling between keeping an eye on the little ones while working from home and also taking care of all the household chores. This can be challenging and tiring at first but if you manage to find a balanced routine and stick to it then everything can become a lot easier.
But parents are not the only ones suffering from what is happening. Larger families that have two or three generations under the same roof are facing some hardships too. Because they spend a lot more time together it's so much easier to get on each other's nerves and start to be less appreciative of one another.
Communication is key.
The secret to a healthy family relationship (or any relationship for that matter) is sincere, open communication, it can truly do wonders. Here are some tips on how to improve your family relationships using the power of communication:
Oftentimes if a member of our family does something that we don't like we tend to keep it in to avoid an argument. But this is counterproductive because, sooner or later, all your pent-up frustration will blow off and you will most likely say something you'll end up regretting. Best approach is to tell your loved ones if something is bothering you right away so that you can openly talk about it and get to a mutual agreement.
Your intuition can guide you into sensing when something is not right with someone in your family. Listen to your inner guide and talk to your loved ones if you feel something is wrong. They may be stressed and react badly towards you for no apparent reason. Try not to let judgment sink in and try to empathize with them. Let the power of love guide you into understanding them and offering your help with whatever it is that is making them feel down.
At the same time, you can be the one that is feeling like all this is too much and you might just need some alone time to recharge. Talk to your loved ones and explain that you need some time to yourself and ask them to not bother you for as long as you need to get back on track. It's best to take a little time off from family life if you are not feeling so great so you don't risk influencing them and making them feel bad too. Of course only if it is something temporary and you can handle things yourself. Otherwise, don't hesitate to seek help from your family members.
Every once in a while plan something fun to do with your family members so you get out of your routines and welcome some fresh energy in the house. Here are some tips on how to make family life funner:
1. Go out in nature - The place that seems untouched by this pandemic is nature. Rather than staying home and watching TV and hearing all the stressful, fear-inducing news, take your family members and explore your closest forest or any other natural setting. Here you can act more freely and just relax for a while. Staying in the sun and breathing the fresh air will also improve your body's immune system and will definitely bring a positive shift in your energies and your family dynamics.
2. Plan a fun day - This can be a day of board and card games or a nice family dinner. Or even a fun trip in nature as I mentioned above. It doesn't have to be something big, but you should do this at least once a week. Doing fun stuff together as a family will strengthen your bond and help you keep a positive attitude.
3. Make doing chores fun - This is especially helpful if you have kids. Make a list of chores and spread them evenly between your family members. You can then make up some sort of a reward system to keep them motivated and bring a fun approach to housekeeping.
If you have any other relationship problems I invite you to take a look at my book about "How to Improve any Relationship" for some more useful tips.