Now’s the Time to Regroup and Reconnect

My husband and I took a walk the other night to take advantage of the mild weather and to get a little exercise. The streets in our neighborhood were devoid of any traffic (except that one car full of girls, laughing and racing down the hill, taking advantage of the empty roads for a quick joyride).

As we walked along, we were surprised to see the number of kids and families playing outside in their yards. Some played basketball, some were doing relay races, parents were chatting to each other from a short distance, kids were riding bikes. I hadn’t seen so many people outside in my neighborhood in years. I even commented to my husband that it felt a little like the 1980s, before technology took over.

As much as this new virus has disrupted everyday life as we know it, it has also forced us to do something many of us haven’t done in a while – spend quality time together with family.

For the majority of us, there is nowhere to be right now, no sports practices or games to rush off to, no appointments. Right now we have this rare opportunity to regroup, reconnect, and just be together.  

Play games! Laugh together! Bake something; draw something; watch movies together! Parents have an opportunity right now to teach their kids some simple life skills, like how to cook, how to do their laundry, how to sew a button on shirt – things they typically won’t learn in the classroom but will need to know in real life.

Talk to your kids about their lives and what they’ve been up to. Ask them their opinion on the things that are happening in the world. Ask them their concerns. Encourage them to share. (If you have teenagers, believe me, this one might be tough, I know.)

Don’t lose this chance to connect with one another on a personal level while this lasts.  You never know when you’ll get this opportunity again.

About Ann Luongo

Ann Luongo has been writing for Cape Cod and South Shore publications for over 15 years.



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