Family Planning In A Pandemic

That was my plan, if you can call it a plan, until I realized it was a set up for catastrophe!

With all the change going on in our lives there is a temptation to stop all routine and planning and just atrophy at home, but I realized atrophy was a set up for catastrophe!

Atrophy: Gradual decline in effectiveness or vigor due to under use or neglect

But atrophy led to chaos, led to sulking…

Atrophy to Catastrophe or Plan for Success?

The more I sulked and brooded the worse the atmosphere of my home got and the more arguments ensued, until I woke up in the middle of the night and realized I had to take leadership! I needed to partner with my wife to establish routines and structures that would set the tone for our family and create a positive atmosphere for our kids.

I was left with a CHOICE.

Will I atrophy to catastrophe or will I plan for success?

The next morning my 6-year old daughter woke up and handed me a plan for creating fun times with her and Gracie (2 years old). She had fun activities planned for every day of the week. Wow, I had an inkling we were onto something. During breakfast I discussed planning out each day with my wife who thought it was a great idea. The atmosphere in our house was already shifting from hopelessness to empowerment. Having a plan was setting us up for success.

Sounds simple and not particularly life-transforming BUT planning a daily family routine;

1. Created positive expectations
2. Created safety
3. Created empowerment
4. Created peace

The Value of Routine

For many of us our routines have been turned upside down, especially for those of us with young children. This has created a need to create a new normal in family routines. Preschoolers who are normally in childcare are now at home, and primary-schooler who had a routine that included going to school have had their worlds upended and are being homeschooled. All this change points to the need to create a new normal in family routine in this season.

Routine establishes mutual expectations that creates order and minimizes chaos.

For us this has been a game-changer! And I believe it can change the game for your family as well!

By coming into mutual agreement as a couple and planning each day for your family you can create a season that you will look back on with gratitude.

A season of:

1. More quality time with your family
2. More fun as a family
3. Deeper relationships as a family
4. The establishment of firm foundations for your family

Could it be that this time was prepared in advance for you to strengthen your family and establish family routines and structures that will keep you strong for decades to come?

Will you and your family join us and PLAN FOR SUCCESS in this pandemic?