How to Redeem the Quarantine Time With Your Family

John Ragon |
April 1, 2020

Parents, these months of international quarantine are full of uncertainty. But, this is also a wonderful opportunity to spend more time together. Redeem this quarantine time with your family.

God calls us to love and lead our families in the easy times and the hard times. Pray over your community and for our world, then trust Jesus to handle the big stuff (and small stuff). Show your kids how to trust Jesus by enjoying His blessings. Today, in this moment, don’t forget to be thankful and worship Jesus.

We’ve got to figure out how family life should look — and not waste any idle time. Binge-watching Netflix isn’t quality family time. Scrolling through your Instagram feed isn’t true rest. Create habits that help you grow together and point your family to the Gospel.

Find new ways to have fun with your kids. Spend time talking and playing together. Start now, this opportunity won’t last forever.

“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:15-16)

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1. Play outside with your kids.

If you’re not under a strict quarantine situation, then play in your yard and enjoy the spring weather. Set up a picnic lunch with your kids on the front porch or grill burgers. Get some sunshine!

2. Watch a movie together (and turn off your phone).

Since you’re probably getting home earlier from work, then plan a family movie night each week. Pop some popcorn or eat pizza in your living room. Turn your phones off and watch a movie you haven’t seen before. Don’t set up movie time as the pinnacle family event, but it’s good to relax together and create new experiences.

The Riot and the Dance (1 & 2) are fantastic new films that explore God’s creation—and point to His glory. You can watch the first video today (for free) on Hulu or Amazon Prime. Or, if you’ve got little girls at home, jump on Disney+ and watch Frozen 2.

3. Start new habits of family worship.

Worship Jesus together. Don’t make it complicated. Show your family the value of spending time with Jesus by spending time with Jesus. In fact, simple is usually better when you’ve got kids of varied ages.

Here 5 simple steps to lead family worship:

  1. Pick a passage of the Bible.
  2. Read it.
  3. Ask questions that help everyone engage.
  4. Pray and ask God to help you understand and obey.
  5. Sing a hymn or two using Spotify.

Don’t make it complicated—but do it on purpose. Parents, our job is to be obedient to Christ by bringing our kids to His Word and introducing them to Him. Don’t focus on the results. Be obedient to love Jesus and show your kids His glory, then let the Holy Spirit change their hearts.

4. Watch your church’s sermon together.

Odds are, your pastors are providing some sort of video or audio content for your church to follow as a family. Take advantage of this. Show your spouse and kids that you value your church family—even when you can’t meet in a building. Create the habit of setting aside that time as a priority slot in your day. Plan this first and fit everything else around it.

If your church isn’t offering any media content right now, don’t give up. Check out the sessions from Red Oak Church, where several of our directors serve as pastors.

5. Teach your kids a new sport.

When was the last time you tossed a baseball with your son or played soccer with your daughter? Now’s the time! Have fun with your kids and they will remember these days for the rest of their lives.

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6. Pray with your spouse.

Husbands and wives, we should be praying together daily. All of us likely have room to grow in this area, and now is a great time to start. Your morning and evening routines might have been very different from your spouse before, but I imagine they are more consistent now. Spend five minutes on your knees together and ask the Lord to give you His peace, grace, and wisdom.

7. Eat dinner together.

Has it been tough to find time to sit down to a family dinner together? Sports, recitals, and events keep all of us busy in the evenings—sometimes too busy. Establish a set dinner time for your family during this time of social distancing, at least five nights per week. Cook together, eat together and clean up together. Good food opens up new conversations with your kids. Practice working as a team again, and enjoy the process!

8. Call your grandparents just to chat.

When was the last time you called your grandparents just to say hi? It’s very possible they’re facing lots of anxiety and fear over the Coronavirus situation right now. Give them a phone call to check in and chat about normal stuff. Pray for them and share what God has been teaching you through His Word.

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9. Play cards or learn a new board game.

Video streaming and smartphones have almost killed off family game night. Don’t let it! Pull out that board game you got for Christmas and play it tonight after dinner. Start a new tradition of playing a different game every Thursday night, or learn a new one together. There are fantastic options out there, take advantage of them and interact with your family in ways that will create memories.

Gospel-centered relationships are your goal.

Having fun with your family is vital because it strengthens relationships with your spouse and kids. Redeem this quarantine time with your family. Doing new things together solidifies relationships. Create ways to learn your kids more deeply, and speak Gospel truths into their hearts.

It’s our role as moms and dads to teach and shepherd every area of their lives. Let’s love them and point them to Jesus, so that He can change their hearts.

John ragon

John Ragon is Snowbird’s website manager. He lives in Western NC with his wife and six amazing kids, and began serving at Snowbird in 2009 after graduating from Union University.

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