How to Parent When You Have No Support from Family or Friends During Corona Times
Are you overwhelmed at the thought of having no support from family or friends during the Pandemic? Let’s decide that we’re going for physical distancing right now, not social distancing. Deal 🤝🏽?
No Support from Family… Is it Really True?
Do you really have no support from family and friends? Or just physically distanced support from family and friends. Is there a way for a village to raise a child together even when we’re required to stay apart?
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Parenting Without a Village – A physically close one, anyway…
Yes, you might be alone at home, parenting without a village *physically* supporting you and your child(ren). That is super challenging.
Which is why it’s vital to lean on the people that you love 💑, and seek connection with them right now. I know, it’s going to be digitally or verbally 📱, and I know that’s not the same, but sometimes that difference leads us to avoid it altogether.
Your Village Needs You Just as Much as You Need Them
Let me just say this first. You need other people. You need that close friend that you can talk to for hours on the phone and just express everything. You need that mentor who can give you advice and help you. Maybe you need your therapist. Maybe you need to connect with your family members.
And secondly, they need you. When we show up and we are there for other people, it feels so good to us. It takes us out of our preoccupation with our personal issues and helps us create a little bit of space and capacity to help others. It brings up our compassion and our ability to hold space for other people. It even helps us with our own mental health.
Giving is Receiving
Physical Distancing and Social Connecting
Today, I want you to create your village and start socially connecting while still physical distancing! You probably have some conversations going but maybe you can do something out of the ordinary.
Ways for Parents to Create a Village
There are an unlimited amount of ways for parents to create a village while in isolation. Here are some ideas to get you started!
- Zoom Couple Double Date 🥂 – Maybe you can have dinner with another couple after the kids are asleep. You get out the wine, you light a candle and you really feel like you’re actually connecting with people that you care about and enjoy spending time with.
- Virtual Play Date 🧒🏿👦 – Maybe you gather the cousins all together in a Zoom room for them to connect.
- Virtual or Drive-By Birthday Party 🥳 – Maybe you have a Zoom birthday party for your child, or set up a scheduled time for family and friends to drive by your home with decorated cars. Your child will feel the love, even through the window!
- FaceTime Therapy Session 🤳 – Most therapists have made it easy for you to receive the support you need, virtually or over the phone!
- Simple Text Messages 💬 – A simple, “How are you? How are you holding up?” to two (or ten) of your friends that perhaps you haven’t been in touch with for a while shows that you care and that you’re here.
Social Distancing Doesn’t Have to Mean Social Disconnection
Whatever it is that you need to create a sense of connection with other people, I urge you to do it today. We’ve got to counter attack all of the depressing news with some fun, light, doable, actionable steps we can take to reclaim presence, peace and play in our lives!
When You (PHYSICALLY) Have No Support From Family or Friends…
Create a village and snap a picture 📸 when you’re doing it. Take a screenshot of you reaching out or how long you chatted on the phone for. I would love for you to share it out on Instagram or Facebook using the hashtag #playpandemic and inspire other people to go for social closeness ➡️⬅️ and physical distancing ⬅️➡️ when, they too, feel like they have no support from family or friends.
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