5 Essentials for Family Wellbeing in Lockdown

As lockdown has repeatedly extended it has become clear that our focus as parents is to protect the wellbeing of each family member- in particular our children.

We have been forcefully disconnected from the many people, places and things that give us value, help us reset and ultimately fill our cups. Because of this, it is taking resourcefulness and creativity to look after our children’s wellbeing while also ensuring we give ourselves time for self care.

I am constantly staying abreast of the current advice regarding wellbeing for our children and these are the main components that are focussed on- which are also supported by the research on happiness by Dr Laurie Santos at Yale.

Connecting with others

Anyone else find themselves chatting more with the staff at the supermarket or getting to know neighbours they never even saw before lockdowns? Of course some of this is because we aren’t up to much else- but it also has to be said that our desire for connection is so strong. This is something that we take for granted in our usual work and social lives which all keep us connected and our ‘buckets full’

Click here for an article I wrote last year with 10 ideas for keeping children connected during lockdowns.

Staying Active

Clearly backed by empirical and anecdotal evidence- staying active keeps both adults and children emotionally well. Better still- when this physical activity is coupled with time outdoors the benefits are ten-fold.

I see it day in and day out, both in my work and professional life- when more physical activity outdoors is introduced emotions are regulated for both children and adults. I’ve added early morning ‘well-being walks’ to my daily routine this lockdown and not only do I feel better for having been active; I’m also more patient with my family for the rest of the day.

Practicing Gratitude

The research on how practicing gratitude improves our well being just keeps coming in- it is no surprise that practicing gratitude has long been a part of many religious traditions.

I’ve also written an article here with ideas for teaching children to be grateful. What I have learnt since then (many thanks to the mind altering work of Brene Brown) is that gratitude needs to be practiced. Unlike traits such an ‘optimism’ or ‘zest for life’, that one might possess, gratitude is in fact something we must all practice for it to positively impact our lives.

For this reason it is important that we introduce opportunities for daily practices of gratitude- there are no hard and fast rules for this practice. It can be brief, it can be written, spoken, alone or with your family- as long as it is practiced regularly it will increase the wellbeing of those who practice it. 

Being Present and Mindful- focusing on the positive.

I find this is the one that is probably the hardest- especially for children. It is so easy to get carried away with our worries and while this is understandable- it is important that we recognise that worries are just that and they are not necessarily a reflection of reality.

Reality is what is happening when we stop, breath and notice. Below is a poster I created recently with child-friendly ideas for being present and mindful.  I will also add a downloadable version to my resources page.

Giving to others

Researchers have found that giving to others has a more positive impact on the giver than the receiver. The stark contrast of our regular lives when we are constantly giving positive feedback (hopefully) to others through our smile, words and kindness with that of lockdown life, when we are isolated from others, can leave a void in many people's lives.

I’m encouraging my own children to give to others through connection- an email, message or phone call can really brighten up someone’s day at these times. I also try to model giving to others and to the community- hoping that they observe this and organically create opportunities to give to others.

I hope some of these ideas inspire you and your family and that you might find one thing you could implement that could help improve your wellbeing at these times.

Simple ideas for teaching children to be present and mindful.