Staying Connected To Your Family During COVID-19

Your family are probably the most important group of people to you, I know mine are, so having to distance

yourself from them during this pandemic will be proving tough for many people. Staying connected to the people you love may feel like an impossible task, but there are a few things you can try. It might not be the same as a hug in person or a barbecue in the back garden, but it’s better than nothing at this time. Read on for some advice:

talking over the garden fence is as near as I am going 

Set Up A Zoom Quiz

Zoom is one of the newest and most efficient platforms for staying up to date with what your loved

ones are doing. Why not set up a zoom quiz? You could do this every week, or every other week

if certain family members are still busy or working. Each week select a different quiz master

and have fun with your own virtual quiz. 

Catch Up With Food And Drink

If you don’t fancy a quiz, then you could always arrange a family ‘meal’ with your own food and

drink. Grab some Domino's Vouchers, order pizza, and arrange a time to catch up using

Skype or Zoom. Make sure everybody knows that this is a family meal, so dress accordingly

and make sure they have yummy snacks/drinks to reach for! 

If you want, you could even arrange to watch the same program or movie and then discuss later. 

source

Start A Whatsapp Group

A Whatsapp group is a very simple way to stay in touch everyday. You might get tired of an

older relative’s jokes or the pictures of your cousin’s baby, but it’ll give everybody some relief. 

Practice Active Listening

When you do arrange to catch up with a family member, practice active listening. Don’t just

wait until the other person has finished talking to interject and say what you want to say. This

isn't listening! Other people are having a hard time too, so hear them out. You don’t need all

the answers, just be a safe place for them. 

Have A Netflix Party 

A Netflix Party uses a plug in that you install so that you can all stream the film at the same time,

and pause if you need to. There’s even a chat window so you can catch up while you enjoy the

film! 

Start A Virtual Book Club

If you like reading and you know some of your family members do too, why not start a virtual

book club? Pick a book and discuss each week. This will give you all something to do if

you’re struggling with boredom, and you’ll get through your reading list faster. Win-win! 

Enjoy The Simple Things

You don’t need to do anything crazy to connect with the people you love. Just enjoy the simple

things! Share songs you’ve enjoyed, share old pictures, and take and share pictures of what

you’re getting up to at home. Memes and videos are great for lifting spirits, too! Not to mention a blog that family far away can see what you have been doing.

This will all be over before we know it - until then, stay safe and connected with your loved ones. 

This is a collaborative post.