During lockdown, how are you fostering family connection and family time?

When you are not wrestling with routines, home schooling, cooking, cleaning, running the business or working from home, plus finding time for yourself, how are you actually spending your ‘downtime’?

Anisa Lewis shares her thoughts and feelings on family time right now and look’s for the smaller ways to bring connection, one that brings smiles, hugs and sharing in a common understanding that we as a family are ALL in this together.

Here are some of my ideas on how to share some downtime with your children and family, some you may be more enthusiastic about than others! This list is not exhaustive and I know you will have your own ideas to add. If you do please leave them in the comments box below for us to share with Smalltalk readers.

• Cooking together, baking yes, but how about teaching your children to cook a family meal
• Special family dinners perhaps with candles and fancy napkins
• Virtually visiting other countries through their food and culture and arranging a themed evening from the results
• Sharing household chores – click here for fun ideas to get the kids interested in household chores
• Create a family coat of arms
• Family challenges such as who can build the tallest tower with only spaghetti and marshmallows
• Board games
• Movie and popcorn nights
• Art night – let’s get creative with paints, playdoh etc
• Get the children to put on a show for you
• Building a family blog/website and get everyone to contribute
• Family sleepover – camping in the lounge or garden (if the weather permits)
• Writing letters (not a text or an email) to family and friends
• Learning something together, an instrument or a new language
• Regular weekly video chats/calls to your extended family
• Get into the garden to plant some seeds and perhaps organise a sunflower growing competition
• A music night: Are you musical? Compose a lockdown song
• Family exercise together even if this is in the house or garden
• Keeping a family journal of what you are doing during the Coronavirus lockdown
• And finally creating a wish jar of things you want to do once lockdown is over

As we look to navigate our way through these uncharted waters think about what you want the end of the lockdown journey to look like, what memories would you like your family to have?

I hope this helps us all to find meaningful ways to connect with our loved ones.

Have fun! Anisa