The situation during the corona isolation will be as different as the family constellations. Some of them now have to get along with each other all day on 70 square meters, while others can avoid each other in the big house. Many factors are crucial when it comes to getting on with your family members even after you have been isolated for several weeks.
Already on the Christmas holidays, some families manage to get on their nerves in such a way that violent arguments and discussions arise. So how is that supposed to be during possibly weeks of isolation? And then without the usual distractions like football, the gym, meeting friends. However, if you follow a few guidelines, you may still be able to look your relatives in the eyes after isolation.
Open communication
In a situation where you spend a lot of time in a confined space, it is particularly important that you communicate openly right from the start, explains social worker Irmgard Schmelcher-Haimerl. Should there ever be a dispute, she advises you to take a deep breath, take a step back inside and, if possible, also take a distance.
Create daily schedule
It is also important to maintain a kind of routine and possibly create new routines, explains the social worker. For example, you could set up a weekly or daily schedule for the entire family, specifying exactly what happens when. It could also be beneficial to assign different roles to different family members. "Structure creates security, especially in uncertain times."
Different people have different needs. If a family member needs a lot of time for himself and is rather self-contained, one could determine in the daily schedule that this person gets an hour for himself alone in his own room. At the end of the day, you should discuss whether the plan was satisfactory for everyone and adjust it for the next day if necessary.
Move
Movement creates a good mood, relieves tension and fights boredom. Therefore, you should try to move around for an hour every day even in domestic isolation. There are a few possibilities: the living room can be converted into a private yoga studio, stairs are ideal for conditioning training and the garden is suitable for building up a parkour – all of these examples can be used to create nice family activities.
Keep outside contact
Thanks to social media, we can keep in touch with the outside world and friends without leaving the house. Social contacts are important for our mental well-being, especially for children who are used to social environments from school and kindergarten.
Realize projects
The time in isolation can be used productively. In addition to work and homework, you can undertake joint projects: mucking out the basement, moving or restoring furniture, trying out new recipes or planting vegetables. If you want to gain some distance, you can reorganize your wardrobe or read the book that has been waiting on the shelf for so long. Australian psychologist Lea Waters also advises children to keep a "corona diary" of their experiences.
Learn from experience
The writer Max Frisch once said: "Crisis is a productive state. You just have to take the aftertaste of the catastrophe." Irmgard Schmelcher-Haimerl also sees it this way: "A crisis always harbors an opportunity. An opportunity to improve the culture of conversation within the family, which can then be taken into everyday life."