3 Ways Single Dads Can Tame Lockdown Chaos at Home
Whew! This has been one stressful year, right? It’s been tough to stay positive through a pandemic and months of lockdown, especially when your family is beginning to feel some of that tension at home. Some stress and conflict is normal when you’re stuck at home together for such a long period of time. But if things are starting to feel overwhelming for you as a single father, it may be time for a lockdown intervention. If you need a break from stress, boredom or exhaustion, try taking these simple steps:
Start with Your Home
Did you know that your home can be a source of stress for your family? When your house or apartment feels cluttered and closed off, this can lead to increased feelings of anxiety and tension, and of course, this effect is amplified when you and your family are all stuck together every single hour of the day. Thankfully, you can clear these bad feelings out by dedicating some time to decluttering and organizing your home.
Once you’re done with cleaning, open up a few windows so that your family can get some sunshine and fresh air. If things still feel pretty tense, it may also be beneficial to create some spaces around your home where your family members can get some quality alone time. For the adults, this could mean creating a meditation space out in your backyard, especially since meditation can be such a calming practice on its own. If your little ones need an area to relax and recharge, consider adding a calm down or comfort corner.
Improve Your Sleep
If sprucing up your home doesn’t seem to improve the tension, you may need to think about how well your family has been sleeping. Sleep disruptions have been a common problem for both adults and children during these uncertain times, and a chronic lack of sleep can have some serious consequences for your family’s mood. Sometimes, these sleep losses may be due to a lack of routine in lockdown, so try to keep your kids and yourself on a regular schedule.
Too much screen time can also be a culprit, especially if your kids are watching television or scrolling through social media too close to bedtime. Try shutting off your screens and asking your children questions that will help you improve their bedtime routines. Ask them what sort of activities would help them relax, other than using screens? You can also ask yourself whether sleeping with their toys or phones nearby is creating distractions at bedtime.
Take Steps to Avoid Boredom
Sometimes, boredom can be good for you and your children. When you experience random spells of boredom, you may find yourselves more creative and productive, which can actually help improve your mood. Of course, too much of anything is never a good idea, which may be why so many families are struggling with boredom-related stress and anxiety right now.
Some ways you can combat boredom and anxiety can include getting your family moving for a few minutes each day. Break out into an impromptu dance party in your living room or get outside for a nice relaxing family walk. Another effective, and maybe even surprising, tip for keeping your family entertained is to play video games together -- as long as you adhere to screen time limits. Playing multiplayer games online is a great way to stay connected with family and friends. You’ll need a fast and reliable internet to handle all of this fun, so you may want to switch to fiber optic internet in your area.
No matter how much your family loves each other, spending every waking minute inside together is bound to cause some tension. The trick is to find ways to diffuse and reduce that tension so that you can help keep everyone from feeling burned out. You can help minimize stress about the legal issues related to divorce or child custody by working with an experienced family law attorney. It can also help to reach out to loved ones for support, so keep these tips in mind as you navigate the weeks and months ahead.
Article contributed by Sophie Letts of meditationhelp.net.
