Avoid Aggression
Day 2 of 14: Taking Care during COVID-19 Self Quarantine
(3-17-20)
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1) Yourself - AVOID AGGRESSION: Anger can prevent anything from feeling good during this time. As a parent/caregiver, you must allow yourself quiet time or time carved out just for yourself. Some of us need this break daily, every few hours, while others require it once a week/month. No matter how often you need the time, take it and make it happen as often as you need to keep your spirits high. Check in with yourself.
Are you finding that the smallest things are setting you off or that you seem to be frowning more often than ever? Creating a plan for your days may relieve some stress when it comes to frantic behaviors from your family when they are bored. Sometimes, it just takes you forcing yourself to smile or think of those things that make you smile. You can do nothing for others if you are hanging on by a thread. Whether it be a much-needed bath, the time you carve out while everyone else is having their meal, or an hour after everyone is asleep. Give yourself some time to yourself - do all three of you need.
Giving yourself a break does not say anything negative about who you are and what you can provide. Go outside alone to create your quiet, and leave everyone inside to make the noise they need to feel better. Sometimes, just these minutes or hours keep the train from derailing. Heads of households need their time as well, so take it.
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2) Dependents - HAVE FUN: Sometimes, getting out some pent-up aggression means doing something fun or sports-like. Movement can be a considerable way to channel negative energy in a more productive way for the whole family. Here are some examples of when the weather prevents outside play: Grab an old sheet and play parachute with your children. Everyone grab a side and shake some light balls in the middle, shake with a child in the middle, pull them along the kitchen floor like a sled, go underneath together, etc. Need more ideas? There are websites dedicated to this idea, such as weareteachers.com, teaching2and3yearolds.com...
If you have room outside and the weather permits, throwing a frisbee, flying a kite, riding a bike, playing two-on-two soccer, Bocce Ball, or playing Hacky Sack can all move the body positively. It can also help those kids/toddlers sleep deeper and longer for that 'me' time later.
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3) Planning Ahead - Do some meal prep. You could do this activity by yourself with your favorite drink, just preparing meals and freezing them for another day. If you have a family that has an aversion to the kitchen, this is the perfect time to get me time and let out some aggression while chopping, grinding, and blending.
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This activity could also be a family event if everyone loves to cook. Pick a day of the week when you and the family prepare as many meals as possible for the upcoming week. This way, it becomes more of a warming-up activity than a 'slaving in the kitchen' mentality when it is time to eat. Whether cutting up the vegetables to be used later in the week or determining what meal kit will be used for each meal, make meals easier to do by yourself or with family.
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4) Activity for all- Spring clean right now. Get everyone involved. Pick one area, like the hall closet, and have toddlers put old items in a garbage bag, and have school-age kids help organize items that stay in the closet. You can work on high shelves etc. You have plenty of quarantine days ahead, so pick one area per day. That is a totally spotless living space!
Great job, keep up the momentum!
