Q. My husband and I are in our 70s. Weāve made some wonderful memories with our grandkids this summer with social distancing visits outdoors. Now that the weather is turning cooler, weāre concerned that our visits wonāt be as frequent. Our younger grandchildren are in preschool programs and our older grandchildren are soon transitioning from online learning to in-person classroom settings. While our own health is fairly good, we recognize that we are still in a high-risk category for COVID-19. Do you have any suggestions on how we can visit safely and still have fun with our grandchildren indoors?
A. I feel for you, and all grandparents, who are high-risk for complications from the coronavirus, yet just want to love on their grandchildren. Children donāt keep, so I understand your desire to continue visits, moving indoors as the weather turns colder.
I would first suggest limiting your visits to one core family at a time. Iām not sure how many grandchildren or adult children you have but keeping the total number of guests down will enable everyone to practice social distancing indoors.
Before your family arrives, designate one bathroom for them to use. Make sure the bathroom is stocked with liquid hand soap, clean hand towels or paper towels, and disinfecting spray or wipes. When your family arrives, ask them to wash their hands in the designated bathroom and to only use that bathroom during their visit. After they leave, clean it with the disinfecting wipes or spray, and be sure to change out the hand towels.
Even though you all might need to keep your distance from one another, you can still enjoy each otherās company. Watch a family-friendly movie together. Play no-contact games, such as Pictionary, Would You Rather, Charades, Taboo, or I Spy. Turn on some music and dance together.
For a memorable visit, play your own version of āTop Chef.ā Give yourselves and your grandkids the same three key ingredients, set a timer, and prepare a dessert or appetizer. Work in separate areas of the home, one team in the kitchen, the other team in the dining room. Give each team a time frame to use the stove or oven. While this idea requires preparation and thought, it could be a memorable experience for everyone.
I also suggest creating individual craft kits for each grandchild. Purchase one plastic shoe box for each grandchild and fill with coloring books, crayons, play dough, or sticker books. Store where your grandkids can access without you having to touch them before or after they leave.
Other suggestions include stocking your pantry with single-serving snacks so that many hands arenāt reaching into a bag of chips or cookies. Offer single-serving drinks as well, so that multiple hands arenāt touching the pitcher.
If you canāt resist a hug, itās best to give one from behind. Wear a mask and ask your grandchildren to wear a mask. Keep the hug brief and avoid face-to-face contact.
Most importantly, if anyone is feeling sick, has a cough, congestion, high temperature, or other symptoms of COVID, cancel the visit. Even if one grandchild has mild cold symptoms and the rest of the family is healthy, itās still best to cancel. It could be just a cold, or it could be COVID.
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