How to Survive A Home Retreat w/The Whole Family

You thought the flock had left for good. Or least mostly for good with the exception of a few visits from college and summer stays.

And thennnnn Coronavirus Pandemic 2020 happens and everyone comes home.

And they decide to stay home.

UM. Now what?! The whole fam damily is home and your sanity is teetering over the cliff.

For the almost empty nesters and the should-be empty nesters out there, I want to help where I can.

Here’s how to survive Coronavirus with all the kiddies in the house 101:

NUMBER ONE: Stop the old patterns

It is tempting to slip into old patterns such as you cooking and making all the meals. You cleaning up the kitchen. You cleaning up the house. You washing all the laundry. You making all the special treats like cupcakes and brownies. You heading to the grocery store for the 100th time because you are out of food and these people eat like horses.

STOP

Hammer time. Stop picking up and doing the laundry and doing all the cooking and the cleaning.

This is YOUR opportunity to ask for help. And get prepared to be comfy with it being half way to perfect.

This is teaching time and modeling time. This isn’t a special trip home for college, oh honey I’m so glad you are here let me bake you your favorite brownies and do you laundry and ohhh.

NOPE

This is time for all to pitch in. Including the hubby.

No more over compensating for everyone else’s busy-ness and their excuses as to why they can’t (read: don’t want to) help.

NUMBER TWO: Take some time for you

Yes the world is going to hell in a handbasket, but you sitting at home in your worry chair is not going to help matters. You are ruining your adrenals and you are freaking your soul out.

So get some quiet time for you. Tell the others in the house to leave you alone. And mean it.

Take a bubble bath. Ask your husband to give you a shoulder massage.

Take an online yoga class (free until April 1st on DownDog App).

Write. Call your mom.

Read the Bible. Read that book that has been on your nightstand.

Walk the dog. Go for a run.

NUMBER THREE: Start to identify what you want your life to look like.

What the heck do you actually want to be doing with your time?

Seriously, answer that.

Do you want to garden? Do you want to sew pillowcases? Do you want to make candles?

Do you want to write? Do you want to make things pretty? Do you want to be a hip hop dance instructor?

WHO ARE YOU DEEP in there?

She has been hiding out for far too long. This is a call to her to come out, say hello, and get reacquainted.

NUMBER FOUR: Design your ideal week

Now that one, we know what you actually want to do with your sweet precious time on this earth (thank God we figured that one out!) and two, your date book has been erased, it is time to get down to the designing of the week.

Your life is built out of days and weeks spent.

What do you want to do each week? How do you want to feel?

What are you NOT picking back up when the Pause button is released?

NUMBER FIVE: Organize those memories

There is nothing better to lift spirits and moods than to look back at old photos.

Since everyone is home, I want you to pull out the photos and get to the organizing. Get everyone involved too!

Make a big ole mess and have so much fun laughing and talking.

Hint: You can always do the actual organizing later. But hook them in with the activity and let the fun take off.

Of course it would be way cool if you wanted to organize your papers and your garage and under your kitchen sink during this time, but truth be told, doing that will just drag you down.

I know because I organized my home office yesterday and it was a joy kill. So don’t do that to yourself. Lift the mood rather than drag it down.

I am sending you so much love from my heart (and home) to yours!