A Message from Dr. Jane Nelsen
German Gemeinschaftsgefühl, from Gemeinschaft (“community, neighborship”) + Gefühl (“feeling”) (literally) "Community feeling" or "social interest"; used by Adlerian psychologists to describe the state of social connectedness and interest in the well-being of others that characterizes psychological health.
During this challenging time, I would like to share what I learned from our Chinese friends. The government mandate that all Chinese citizens stay in their homes created huge personal and financial hardships. Still their attitude was one of Gemeinschaftsgefühl—we isolate ourselves as part of our social interest to work together during this time of crisis and we will make the best of it.
One thing they did to make the best of it was to enjoy their family time together. To make this happen, they had to deal with some issues: Some shared that their children wanted to spend too much time on their screens. So they started having family meetings every morning when they all worked together to create a schedule for the day that included cooking together, eating together, work time (parents who could work from home and children to do their homework), time for chores, time for family games, and limited time to watch screens together. The children created new routine charts, and new wheels of choice, and new positive time out spaces. The family meeting agenda was in a prominent place where family members could add challenges when they occurred, and everyone could look forward to finding solutions the next day.
It is my hope that you focus on your blessings and use Positive Discipline Tools to help you enjoy this time with your family.
