Working Parents: Take Time To Thank Your Village

gratitude , thank you , working parents
Vase with flowers in front of white background and thank you not attached

As we approach the holidays, gratitude may not be coming naturally this year. It’s understandable. 2020 has been hard. Health concerns, intense political climate, catastrophic natural disasters, homeschooling, social distancing, working from home with parenting full-time, wearing masks, and using more hand sanitizer than you ever imagined.Working Parents: Take Time To Thank Your Village

But in the chaos and unexpected challenges that this year has brought us, we’ve come together in ways that remind us why life is worth living. We’ve seen how our communities long to be together in the creative ways people have thought up to stay connected. Through virtual art galleries and zoom game nights, the people in our lives matter more than ever. 

And as working parents, we all have our list of people that keep us going. They’ve done everything from plan creative, safely-distanced play groups to deliver meals when the days are long, and offer to do a board game swap so the kids can have some new games to play when stuck inside. Let’s take time to thank our village – those people that have rallied around us in one of the hardest years to be a working parent – and show them how much they have impacted our lives for the better this year.

Here are a few meaningful, heartfelt ways to say thank you to the people you care about this holiday season, while social distancing: 

  • Send a handwritten note. In today’s digital world, a handwritten note is extra special. Order nice stationery online and make it a point to send a handwritten note to everyone in your village. You don’t have to be sappy in what you write…a joke is just fine! Customize the note to their personality. After all, you know them best! Just make sure to say thank you and let them know you are grateful for their presence in your family’s life. 
  • Order dinner for them using a home delivery service. Nothing says ‘I appreciate you’ more than good food! Order dinner from their favorite restaurant and have it delivered with a service like UberEats or Doordash. An expert tip: you may want to give them a heads up that it’s coming so that they don’t make other dinner plans. 
  • Mail them your family’s original artwork. Why not schedule a family night at home where you and your family make artwork together. Painting, drawing, mixed media – whatever your family enjoys. Once you’re done, mail it to your friends and family as a thank you for being the wonderful people in your life that they are. If you really want to get into it, order a frame online so that they can instantly hang your masterpieces in their home.
  • Drop off a care package. A care package doesn’t have to be big or fancy. It can include simple items like a bath bomb, candle, tea or coffee ingredients, a new book, or puzzle. You can also leave it on the porch so there is no interaction. You may want to ask for permission before choosing this option to make sure your recipient is comfortable receiving personal packages during the pandemic. 
  • Curate a customized playlist. Remember mix tapes? You can create customized playlists on most major music streaming service platforms (I like Spotify). If you know they could use some relaxation, create a calm and peaceful playlist. If they love to dance, put together a playlist that will get them moving no matter the time of day. Have fun with it, then send them an email letting them know you were thinking of them and include the playlist link for them to enjoy.
  • Make room in your schedule to spend time with them. Yes, you can spend time with the people in your village while staying safe and socially distancing. Some of my favorite new activities include watch parties, virtual wine painting classes, and online happy hours. 

And here at Work & Mother, we want to take this time to say thank you for all you’ve done this year to make the world a better place. All the long days and hard conversations you’ve had with your family are making a positive impact. You may not see it now, but as your children grow and see how you are well you are handling these tough life circumstances, they will follow suit.