The Importance of the Family Walk
The Coronavirus Pandemic has been a challenging time for everyone, especially parents. Before quarantine forced us all inside and we had to adjust to working from home, we had demarcated moments of both solitude and togetherness. No longer are we spending our time on set schedules where we go to work during the day and seeing our children at night; those lines have been blurred. With the likelihood that many companies may find Work-From-Home to be the way of the future, we may have a “New Normal” where that blurring is permanent. And in these moments, it’s important to preserve those moments of togetherness and not allow the bleed-through to make the taken for granted.
The Pandemic has also likely forced your young ones to keep a safe distance from their friends and perhaps even extracurricular activities such as sports. When asked to stay at home, it can be very easy for children to slide into a sedentary lifestyle where entertainment comes from television, video game consoles, and tablets. You, yourself, may find yourself tempted after a long day at work to recline on the couch, wondering how sitting in front of a screen all day could feel so exhausting.
To tackle both issues, we’ve encouraged a new regular tradition in our household: the family walk. It’s as simple as it sounds: we have a set time that everyone leaves their electronics at home and goes for a stroll together. They aren’t always long – sometimes they’re as long as a couple miles and other times they’re simply around the neighborhood – but they give us time to just be together.
On the walk, we talk. We talk about school and friends – sometimes we’ll talk about family affairs or year-long plans. We’ve brainstormed vacations, discussed new interests, and even had some frank conversations about growing up. It’s important to keep these walks distraction-free; don’t let text message notifications tempt your children or you. Allow the rest of the world to wait and be together.
Regular exercise is not just good for the body, it’s good for the mind and soul. Children, particularly children who aren’t athletic, can be averse to intensive exercise, but a walk is the sort of low-effort activity that anyone can partake in without feeling physically drained. Conversation can serve as a distraction; you’ll be surprised how long and far you’ve gone without realizing because you were so interested in the topic! And we often find ourselves with renewed energy when we get home, having gotten that little boost from the exercise.
Consider it a simple and small daily investment in yourself and your family. COVID-19 has forced us to adapt, but never before have we felt stronger and more together.