It looks like spring break 2020 is going to be spent at home. Thanks to the COVID-19 outbreak, families planning to hit the road while the kids are off school for Easter will be going nowhere. Even those that had planned staycations with plenty of local activities will find themselves secluded home.
Though this may sound dire, spending time at home is not a bad thing. It used to be the norm. Long before they were automobiles and smartphones, families used to spend weeks at home. They used to spend their time working and playing together. And guess what? Not only did they survive, they thrived!
The Need for Entertainment
Technological progress is generally considered a good thing. Yet it is far from perfect. Technology has its drawbacks, including an entire generation of people who now have to be entertained at every waking hour. We have lost the ability to sit quietly and do nothing more than enjoy a sunset or have a good conversation.
This is what makes it so tough for so many families to isolate. Unlike the experience of previous generations, something as simple as sitting on the front porch and enjoying a pitcher of lemonade is too boring to even consider. Our houses are filled with video games and streaming services. Families are constantly on the go. And of course, do not forget all of those smartphone users whose faces appear to be permanently attached to their screens.
In retrospect, we may have created a terrible entertainment monster with all of our technology. But the good news is this: entertainment does not have to be a domineering master. As long as we are all stuck at home for the foreseeable future, this is the perfect time to break free.
Getting to Know You
This period of social distancing is a good time for families to step back and get to know one another. It is a great time to invest in learning more about family members and their interests, hopes, dreams, etc. Parents reconnecting with their kids and vice-versa would be a great outcome of all of this.
Even better is the fact that reconnecting as a family does not require a ton of money. That is important in light of the fact that COVID-19 is having, and will continue to have, a significant impact on personal finances. People are not going to have extra money to spend for the time being.
Plan Some Inexpensive Activities
So, how can families reconnect during self-isolation? One suggestion is to plan some inexpensive activities that break up the monotony of being home without requiring extra spending. There are plenty of low-cost activities families can do.
One example is a home camping trip. Families living in suburban neighborhoods can camp out in their own backyards. They can set up the tents, pull out the fire pit (or use the barbecue grill), and sit around roasting marshmallows while they tell scary stories.
If you live in the city and do not have access to a yard, you can still camp in your living room. Do what you did when you were seven years old: build a fort out of furniture and blankets. It’s pretty simple. Then you can make s’mores in the oven and stay up late giggling and telling jokes.
From doing crafts to playing board games as a family, there is plenty to do while stuck at home. Do not waste this opportunity to reconnect with your family. Rather, take a stressful situation and turn into something positive. Spring break spent at home can be a wonderful experience.
