3 Ways to Help your Family Transition to a New Normal
As quarantine measures relax and things begin transitioning back to a “new normal,” it may be time for your family to begin painting a picture of what this transition could look like.
We have been through a total of 3 massive and immediate changes in less than 4 months, which means that our brains have been working overtime to adjust time and time again. That’s a lot to cope with! Therefore, it’s understandable if you’re feeling hesitant, confused, or unsure about how to proceed.
Here are 3 ways you can help your families (and your minds) prepare to transition to your “new normal” in the weeks ahead.
Plan Ahead
Make transitioning easier by taking the time to think about what changes are going to take place. Are you returning to the office soon? Are you getting a new childcare worker?
Some questions to ask yourself in order to plan ahead:
How will we handle schedules?
Who will we allow into our home and under what circumstances and guidelines?
Where will we allow our children to go?
Will we create our own guidelines or look to others for answers?
Are we a united front as parents? If not, how can we get on the same page?
What are our priorities?
How can we stick to our values and still remain safe?
Reduce stress during this transition by talking it through together and planning ahead.
Set boundaries with work and friends. Know your own limits.
If work called you back into the office soon, would you feel ready? Do you feel supported and cared for, so that you can stay healthy? If not, can you come up with a way to express your concerns to management and go back with an open heart?
Being true to your values AND getting back to work are both considerations here. How can you find a middle ground that feels safe and appropriate to you AND that moves you toward your work goals?
If your kids’ friends have started hanging out again, call a family meeting and create some clear limits altogether.
Write out your family rules so that everyone understands and remembers them. Maybe you decide that you can spend time with friends if you all wear masks, or maybe you feel more comfortable if you wear masks and maintain six feet apart. Your kids are likely to gravitate toward doing what their friends are doing, despite your family rules, so having them written down will help enforce these guidelines.
Recalibrate your expectations
You had expectations before coronavirus and you probably have new ones now. It makes sense; life before quarantining doesn’t exist anymore. We need to adjust our expectations to the new normal. If you are stuck in thinking about what life used to look and feel like, gently remind yourself you need to focus on the present in order to stay healthy now.
Recalibrate your expectations by considering the following:
Do I have realistic expectations for myself in handling the transition?
Can I successfully manage all that I have asked of myself?
Can my family manage what I have asked of them?
Am I being too rigid or too lenient?
What are my top priorities and what can I be more lenient about?
Understanding your own expectations will help you recognize if you need to pivot or shift your mindset.
As you prepare your family for your new normal, remember that you’ve got this! No matter what is ahead, know that this too will pass and soon your new normal will seem like it always has been. Give yourself encouragement, and encourage your family as you all make this transition together. Do your best to meet these upcoming changes with grace and joy, and revel in seeing how dynamics change. The more positive and open your mindset is, the easier it will be to transition to your “new normal.”