It took a virus to slow us down. The coronavirus pandemic has brought our frantic pace of living to a screeching halt. Practicing social distancing at home with my family has allowed me time to evaluate the things in my life that matter the most. In short, COVID-19 has changed my perspective of living in the most unexpected and meaningful ways, and for that, I’m eternally grateful.
As a result of being safe at home, I decided to start a family newsletter to journal our quarantine experience. We are currently making history right now and I want to remember how we spent these precious days together.
Each day my kids take turns being the “journalist” of the day. They write down things like: what we did each day, the meals we ate, who we prayed for, quotes, the best moment of the day and anything new each person in the family learned. We also include any pictures taken each day. At the end of the month I type up the newsletter and print it out as a keepsake.
I think it will be fun for us to look back years from now and remember how we bonded during a time when our usual activities were put on hold. Plus, this family activity helps to improve my children’s writing, communication and typing skills. A win-win for the whole family.
If you’re looking for a fun family activity that will keep each member of your family engaged, start your own family newsletter. Give it a catchy title, come up with a design and then start creating content.
What kind of content should you put in family newsletter?
Here are a few ideas to help get you started:
Family recipes
Your family tree
Recent achievements
Memorable moments
Birthdays, anniversaries, engagements, birth announcements, celebrations
Historical facts
Trivia questions
Funny jokes
Family quotes
Prayers
Every member of the household can make contributions to the newsletter. Even a preschooler can dictate what he or she remembers most about the past month, year or quarter. Or you can ask little ones to draw their favorite memories.
How often your newsletter comes out depends how much news – and time – you have to put in. A once-a-month newsletter was our choice. You could also choose to have a quarterly or once-a-year newsletter you publish around the holidays.
If you’re looking for a simple and cost effective activity, starting a newsletter can be an effective way of strengthening connections between family members. Why not give it a try?
Your turn: Does your family have a newsletter? How has the coronavirus pandemic changed your perspective about life and living? Feel free to share in the comments.
