A Shifting Season, Plans for the Indoors Ahead
As we move into Fall with the equinox just passed, certainly you’ve felt and seen the change in the season. And while we’ve been blessed with some very nice weather this week (and looks like next), a veritable last blast of “summer,” the nights are colder, more damp and it’s getting dark earlier. Fall is here and we’ve also come through a conflagration of wildfire, all amidst a blooming again pandemic.
Some might ask? Can it get worse? Well, indeed it can. It can always get worse and in that is today’s main message: appreciate what we do have, what we have not lost, and make hay from these relative weeds. 2020 has been tumultuous no doubt, but it’s only making us stronger. And we all know the rain is coming. I’ve had this conversation with many, “What are we going to do when it starts getting dark at 4 p.m. and raining all the time?” Coupled with reports of fast-growing COVID-19 positive rates, it can look pretty bleak.
Recently I’ve focused on “Bubbles of Culinary Paradise,” which began a series of coverage on restaurants and food services doing things right amidst the current, viral challenge (more on that soon). Next up was the “Homeschooling Survival Guide,” something I’ve had to subscribe to myself! And now, in league with these challenge-driven articles, I’m covering both mindset and specified activities that can help make more isolated, inside-the-home activities unique and fun.
Kids are Resilient, So Can You
If you have kids, you know how resilient they can be. A meltdown one minute, euphoric laughter the next. We can learn from this. Being able to pivot from a challenge, a change in our mindset to “make the best of it” is a unique skill often lost beyond adolescence. Re-discovering that skill in adulthood is one path to getting through the upcoming, inside doldrums. Some may say this is easier said than done. Well it’s not simple, for sure, but here are a few methods for achieving this:
Einstein’s Theory of Relativity
Ok, I’m not talking about bending space time here, rather, this is the psychological angle to relativity that creates a positive path forward. And to be sure, everything is indeed relative. Let’s say you lose a finger while cutting an apple? Well that’s better than losing two, right? A bit graphic, but no matter what your challenge, relating it to something that could be worse may actually have you smiling. O.K. I’m not smiling if I lose a finger…but you get the point.
Switching
Next, you can try what I call the “Switching Approach,” by, well, switching things up. Let’s say it’s pouring rain, there’s nothing on Netflix that interests you, and your kids are screaming in the background about having to do their online schoolwork. How can you make this workable, perhaps even enjoyable? Sounds impossible, but there is a way. Here is one possible solution:
With “nothing to watch,” and your kids needing your attention anyways, it sounds like it’s time for a break. Punctuating online schoolwork with breaks is crucial and you need these too. So, grab the kids, forget the electronics and work, and go old school. How about a living game of Clue? Chances are your kids don’t even know what that Clue is, let alone the “living version.” See some easy, free instructions here. Not only are you strengthening your bond with your children, you will probably end up having great fun and forgetting all about Netflix and the nasty weather. Of course your kids do have to get that homework done at some point, but taking punctuated brakes is critical in tempering the challenging, online environment that has been foisted upon all of us. Heck, what is next, a virtual haircut? Yeah, I gave myself a haircut this morning and let’s just say I’m not well trained :-). Well, the key here is to meet your challenge head-on and be creative.
And of course, right now it is indeed beautiful out. Be sure to take advantage and soak it up…our days of warm, sunny weather are numbered. Meanwhile, get prepped for what’s to come ;).
More Resources
Below I’ve gathered a series of outbound links that may give you some good (even great) options on keeping yourself and/or your family entertained when “stuck indoors.” Some are targeted at families with little kids, while others are more adult in orientation. Sift through and see if you can’t find some nice go to options when the soon-to-come, darker, wetter and colder days set in, or if you’re really working hard to isolate with the growing COVID-19 numbers. Well, we might not be known for suntans and sand volleyball as much up here in the NW, but darn if we aren’t creative. Tap in and ride it out!
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