“Safer At Home” Activities For Your Family To Try
If you missed our posts on social media over the last several weeks, here are some ideas for your family during this time of uncertainty while you are spending more time together.
School canceled? Need a topic for History?
Help your children and grandchildren with their history lessons from home…share YOUR FAMILY HISTORY.
If you are not able to visit the grandparents’ in-person use Facetime or Video Chat. Give the children/grandchildren the opportunity to ask you questions they want to know OR write down questions they can ask and have them take turns picking one out of a hat.
Some ideas for questions to ask:
1. Where did mom and dad/grandma and grandpa meet?
2. Where did they get married? Go on their honeymoon?
3. Where was mom and dad’s first house?
4. The story of (current or past house address)….
5. What is dad’s given name? Why doesn’t he use his first name?
6. Who are each of us (children) named after?
7. What’s their special vacation spot?
MAKE IT FUN, HAVE SOME LAUGHS and SHARE SOME FAMILY STORIES! (and don’t forget to record it for your family library)
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Reminiscing
During this time of uncertainty help those you love by sharing your experiences of going through similar times and how you persevered. And make sure to include how those times helped you become the person you are today!
If you can't be together in person or connected through technology this weekend take the opportunity to document those stories, life lessons and values. Studies show THEY WANT TO KNOW!!!
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Person of Influence
Never in our lifetimes have parents and grandparents been called upon to “train up their children” 24/7 as they are now under these extraordinary circumstances. If there is a silver lining in this crisis, it is that we have the opportunity to use this time at home to build deep, long-lasting family bonds.
Here is an exercise that we have used with families just like yours for the past two decades. It’s called the Person of Influence. Either take time to write down your answers in advance and then share with the family or use the questions to facilitate a fun family discussion.
Think about a person who was a mentor or had a significant influence in your life.
• What difference did they make in your life?
• How are you different now because of your interaction with that person?
• What did you learn from them?
• How did you learn it (for example, by their words, or at work with them)?
• How did your experiences with them affect your life?
I hope you are able to enjoy at least one of these activities with your family. If you would like more activities and ideas for your family, please don’t hesitate to call.
Until our next conversation….
