We may not live-in tribes anymore, but in many ways, we’re not all that different from our caveman ancestors (as you may have found when you are grunted at as you try to wake your child in the morning!)
Children & teenagers thrive when they are around like-minded people in their own “tribe” and this has been shown to promote a sense of safety, belonging & security as well as helping to develop creativity, empathy & confidence.
Here are some top tips to promote ‘togetherness’ for your tribe these Easter holidays:
???? Write down a family list of things you can do together to encourage a sense of connectedness and take in turns to pick (each day if you have time). Encourage everyone to respect each other’s idea and be open to getting involved in them. Make it more fun by adding numbers to the list and using a number generator to pick one for you!
???? Where possible try to set up play sessions outdoors, enrol them in holiday bubble clubs. These will not only help combat loneliness but also help to boost their production of feel-good chemicals & improve their mental health.
???? Arrange a virtual playdate where your kids can do an activity online with their friends – maybe bake something yummy, create something artistic or have a virtual story hour.
???? Write letters to friends and family or take turns dropping off surprises to other family member or friends that may also be feeling isolated. They’ll feel good doing it and the person on the receiving end will also get a lovely boost of serotonin too!
???? Check-ins will let kids know that there is someone who cares enough to see how they’re doing. This can be done subtly with teens so as not to feel intrusive – bringing them a cup of tea, popping your head in to ask what they’d like for lunch, inviting them to join you for a walk, telling them you’re feeling a bit lonely and you’d love them to come and help you prep dinner. Get creative and make them feel like you care.
???? Encourage kids to talk about why they are feeling lonely and ask them to come up with ideas of what they could do to feel a bit better – what have they done in the past that has helped?
If you’ve got any top tips we’d love to hear them in the comments below…..
