The lockdown has brought families to spend a lot of time together at home. With schools and colleges being shut down, students all over the world have taken the route leading back home. Image by Alamy. Here we will talk about How to Make Peace with your Family and Avoid Conflict During Lockdown.
Offices have adapted to the ‘work from home’ culture which has caused parents to stay at home as well. Sounds like the perfect recipe for disaster right? If yes, stay tuned! If no, this article might help you in other situations too.
With all those people in the house, conflicts are bound to happen. Uncertainty of the future has caused anxiety and put everyone under a constant state of stress and worry. All these feelings can be the root cause of many quarrels arising between family members.
However, you must not let these conflicts cause a rift among the family members. Here’s how you can make peace with your family during the lockdown and avoid conflict.
How to Make Peace with your Family
-
Listen to what others have to say
Be it a parent or a sibling, or your child (in case you’re a parent reading this), if they are saying something you do not agree with or something you find disrespectful, take a step back and listen.
Do they mean it? Or is it just out of impulse? In most cases, it is usually the latter. Think about why the other person is reacting this way, and you might get to know how they think. This will help you understand their point of view and what they mean.
-
Talk TO them not AT them
Instead of just imposing your opinion on others, just take a step back. Instead of yelling, take a deep breath and calmly explain your point.
Keep in mind that the main idea is to get them to understand what you are trying to say instead of hurting them. This will make your conversation more effective and it will be much easier for both the parties to get their point across.
-
Share the housework
Sharing the load when you all are in this together goes a long way. This very gesture will give them a feeling that you care. Also, dividing chores will help everyone get engaged in some task while keeping everyone active at the same time. The physical activity will help you maintain better health.
-
Talk to a friend
Venting out to trusted friends is always a good idea. Speaking to a friend will help you relieve yourself of all those negative feelings that might arise. Talking about your feelings also gives you a chance to assess yourself and if you did the right thing or not.
This will also help you learn from your experience as you will know where you went wrong. Also, talking to a friend who might also be in the same situation will give you a sense of belonging and keep reminding you that you are not alone.
-
De-stress yourself and Make Peace with your Family
You might want to work on yourself as well. De-stressing yourself helps get into a calmer, more productive state of mind. Meditate, try yoga, exercise, or if these aren’t your cup of tea then just engage yourself in something you like to do- art, music, cooking, reading, writing, etc.
Or you could start watching a web series or catch up on those movies you missed watching earlier because of being busy. Engaging in something you like for an hour or so will help you calm down and get refreshed.
-
If the conflict seems never-ending, then agree to disagree
Sometimes you might be in a position where both parties might end up in a never-ending conflict. As you realize, all this is going to do is put both ina very bad mood for the rest of the day.
I know you would love to bombard them with facts, but sometimes it’s just not worth it, instead, just pause and agree to disagree. Sometimes, it is better to keep quiet instead of continuing to argue.
-
Find out what triggers these arguments
Arguing with your own family can put you in a bad place emotionally, therefore resolving all these conflicts will help you make peace with yourself and your family.
Some bickering every now and then is fine but when you are arguing constantly then it is time to make a change. Find out what starts all these conflicts, once you find out the root cause you will know how to fix it or avoid it altogether.
Keep in mind, this might be the only time one can spend quality time with their family in a lot of households. Spend as much time with them as you can and make memories that you can cherish in the future.
Thanks for reading How to Make Peace with your Family and Avoid Conflict During Lockdown. Also, check Top 7 Problems in a Relationship and How to Solve Them?
