LAST week I shared that the first step to the “new normal” is to gather positive reflections on the good things we have learned and
can continue after this lockdown period. Second, I also shared my belief that a strong “paren-team” today is needed for all of us to get through these trying times. Below is a continuation of the tips I shared last week in building resilience and positivity within our paren-teams:
PARENTS/ADULTS
SPEND WISELY. We are all tasked to provide for our families regardless of what income we are able to generate at this point. Remember to spend wisely because of this uncertainty. Save where you can like on utilities. You can share rooms by putting up air mattresses. Remember that school enrollment is just around the corner, and we might not have the same income as last year. Also, we must be prepared if another lockdown is declared.
UNDERSTAND DISTANCE LEARNING. Most schools are opting for distance learning for the remainder of the fourth quarter. Parents, kids and even many schools were not fully prepared for it. Now that the first quarter has been announced to be distance learning for most of our kids, it is important for us to understand how our child is performing. Is he able to do the work without physical supervision? Is he able to even attend class? I will write on this topic more next week.
CREATE A POSITIVE AND EFFICIENT “WORK FROM HOME” FLOW. Try to work out a family schedule instead of a personal schedule. For me, routine and responsibility are key in providing positive security for everyone in the house. Chores are a good addition to the family schedule. Try to also transform physical spaces into a “conditioning” tool, so our kids and even us are better psyched to perform the intended activity for that period of time. I learned from Reset.Ph’s Facebook live seminar last week, titled “Are You Ready for the New Parenting Normal?,” to have a snack buffet ready in the morning that is good for the whole day. This ensures healthy choices, and it saves us time, as well.
OLDER MEMBERS OF OUR FAMILY
KEEP ACTIVE. Whether your older members of the family are with you or are living separately, you need to ensure they are on a routine that keeps their mind, body and spirit active. I call it a “One-A-Day” boost. For mind, this can be an assigned mental activity—Sudoku, puzzles, reading or attending Webinars. For body, this can be an online exercise class for seniors, a designated number of rounds of walking around a safe area, or even handgrip exercises like writing.
For spirit, this can be one phone call a day to a friend, or a daily art activity whether painting or doing coloring books.
STAY ATTUNED. Keep them abreast on the news whether online, radio or television. Since we might not have time to watch the news ourselves, let them be our source of information through our family Viber groups.
COMMUNITY
KNOW AND BE CLEAR. Each family member requires different community support to keep ourselves healthy. It is important to identify who our family support community would be. For our kids, it is the school, their enrichment providers, and even their friends. For us, it would be our work family and personal friends. Be clear with yourself what your expectations are and if possible communicate with them. For example, if your child is having issues on submitting homework, it might be helpful to request from the teacher or from a friend a “buddy system” to help your child.
BE OPEN AND FLEXIBLE. If Covid-19 has taught me anything, whether personally or professionally, we need to be willing to reassess our openness, instead of becoming frustrated. Research and listen with all the online information available today. Correct and edit existing practices and even policies in the office to ensure positive output. We all need to perform our best so we all have to level-up our game. Let’s not allow our rigid personalities and old ways stand in the way of contributing to the good of our overall organization, whether this be our family, our work or the society.