When the pandemic first hit, families put on their best armour and hunkered down. We were "in this together", determined and mostly unified. But then it wore on and on...and on, leaving us depleted, having to make complicated decisions about healthy limits and boundaries, and forcing us to see what we were capable of adjusting to. Parents have had to think about the differing needs of their kids and how to weigh the cost of social distancing with their mental wellbeing. They've had to navigate really challenging and personal-feeling debates with loved ones about how to respect one another's judgement calls about what was going to be ok and not ok to participate in, in some cases causing significant ruptures in family ties. Working from home and in some cases schooling from home has become a reality, and for others, there's been major financial restructuring just to get through this year. We're all up in each others faces now, with little space to collect ourselves or wear just one hat at a time.
In today's episode we want to honor the challenges and hear from families first hand about what they've found has made the difference for them in terms of carrying forward and adjusting. Resilience doesn't come easy, folks....it's worked at. I find that it helps to hear ourselves in the stories of others, experience closeness through witnessing stories that may not yet resonate, and have the opportunity to share resources - the strategies and supports that have helped us wind our way through the mess of this first-time pandemic experience we're all in the midst of. So that's what we're going to do - sit in the mess together and offer one another some hope.
And if a little side reading is helpful for you, check out a couple of articles I wrote back in March and May when this crazy virus first hit us. It includes some practical tips for helping your family cope and thrive during this time.
https://thrive-life.ca/coping-in-the-midst-of-covid-19-mental-health-scaffolding-for-the-family/ https://thrive-life.ca/paying-it-forwardwisdom-from-clients-during-the-pandemic/You can find me on Facebook: Karen Peters, RCC
Or on Instagram: @karenpeters_rcc
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https://www.my.thrive-life.ca/parenting-in-the-trenchesTreading water with you,
Karen