A Housebound Lifestyle

Most of us are used to being able to go whenever we please. We are not used to being housebound. When circumstances arise that causes this situation it can be very hard to deal with. A prime example of this has been the Pandemic of 2020. Although this has been very difficult to deal with it has taught me some valuable lessons. Ones that I will carry forward with me as I never know when they will be needed again.

Adjustments

Often what can happen is becoming housebound can happen quickly. As it did with the first round of the COVID_19. But there are other circumstances where a person can become restricted to the home. Such as a result of an illness or injury. Or in other cases where people simply cannot afford to go out for any type of entertainment. When these circumstances arise it takes people away from their normal routine and they have trouble adjusting. Some become depressed while others may become irritable.

Putting Time To Good Use

The biggest challenge that I as many others faced is what to do with all the extra time that is now available and what to do with it in a constructive way. This is difficult when there are family members of different age groups. I found the best approach was to plan for using time.

Turn It Into Something Fun

One approach is to turn the situation into something fun. With some creative thinking, there are lots of ways to do this. Here are some things that I planned for my family.

Plan A Virtual Vacation

There is no way that a traditional vacation can be taken but now it’s an ideal time for a virtual one. Just as you would for any vacation it has to be planned for. So, for this segment, use it for making the décor that would be found in the destination you are virtually planning. For example, if you had planned the trip to Iceland, once you reach there, you may have to hire a campervan for rental for the brief period that you are going to stay there (check out this blog – https://www.rent.is/blog/4×4-camper-van-rental/). In light of that, you can ask all your family members to dress up for the trip as Iceland’s weather is going to be cold. And, if you happen to own a motorhome for yourself, you can arrange the insides to accommodate your family members and plan a small evening inside it where your family, as a whole, can enjoy delicious food and spend quality time together. Once the pandemic situation is over and travel restrictions are lifted, you can then plan for a real vacation with your family. Maybe you can book a private jet from the likes of Jettly that can provide you luxury and comfort to your family members for the vacation travel. Similarly, if you had planned the trip to Hawaii, then get the whole family to make some props. Plan one room that will be used for the destination vacation, like the den or family room. This can then be decorated with all the items that you make.

  • Next make the food. A whole day can be spent on making the food that is going to be used on the virtual vacation. The kids will love this and we got some inspiration by doing some research into the cuisine that would be available at our destination.
  • Now the activities: What activities would you enjoy if you went to Hawaii? Fishing might be one of them. So how about playing the card game “Go Fish”?

These are just a few ideas to get you going on planning your virtual vacation. If all these are put into action you are going to spend three days on this event. Two for the preparation and one for the actual event.

Plan A Theatre Night

Now you can think outside the box for this one, and it too can take up several days of preparing for it. Instead of just watching a movie, how about the whole family putting on a play. When we did this we recorded it then sent the video to some family members. They enjoyed it so much that some of them did the same thing. We then sent all of these videos to the children’s grandparents.

The first day the script could be written, and then everyone learns their lines.

On the second day, the costumes and props could be worked on. Then finally the third day the big production,

Virtual Visiting

Another big problem with being housebound is not being able to spend time with family friends. At least one of the family members is likely to be computer savvy. This means they can set up virtual meetings (check this out over at agora.io). But, instead of just logging in to say hello why not play a game? Charades would be perfect. This too could be a pre-planned event where snacks could be made.

The important thing is to have a plan for a few days at a time. Trying to think about how to use time spontaneously can be difficult. In between all these activities, there should be a regular home routine as well. Such as doing the chores, cooking, cleaning, and whatever else the family participates in during normal circumstances.

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