Coping Goals: Making Quarantine Traditions
Whenever possible, it can be helpful to adopt the mindset that challenges are opportunities. One way to look at extended time at home during the pandemic is to consider it a chance to create new family traditions. These may be things that have already happened while establishing new routines and it can be powerful to label them as traditions. For example, one of the families we know has established Friday night as “Fort-Night.” This involves creating a large fort in the living room where everyone watches a movie together. Relatively simple, free, and full of fun for everyone. Another family has stocked up on ingredients for smores and looks for things to celebrate while making a tasty desert. For another example, one family has an established “family hour” each night. This tradition involves family members taking turns coming up with an activity like playing a game, watching a movie, or taking a walk.
Family traditions are special parts of a family’s story. They are things to look forward to and can involve the participation of all family members in different ways. Plus, they become memories that can be called upon in the future. All of these benefits have positive impact on mood and can turn a time ripe with the potential for grief and anxiety into a time that may include very fond memories some day.
