10 best home pampers
Dad’s working at home, the kids are off school and mum is tearing her hair out ... how can the family survive being cooped up in the house 24/7 during the coronavirus pandemic? Think positively! You can save money by not going out to restaurants, not having expensive trips to the cinema or not snapping up that impulse buy on a shopping trip, writes Gay Bolton. Why not redirect some of those savings into pampering your family in these troubled times?
1. Pamper party
How about organising a pamper party for the kids in which they can let their imagination and creativity run wild? Get them to dress up as a pretty princess or fearless knight, either in custom-made costumes which you can order online, or if you’re adventurous why not make a unique creation from clothes which are surplus to requirement. Release your inner artist by decorating their faces with glitter or colourful paints. Erect an indoor tent which you can buy or adapt from an old sheet or blanket and let your little treasures imagine it’s a castle from which the knight rescues the trapped princess. This make-believe castle could even double up as somewhere to sleep. How much fun would that make bedtime?
2. Movie night
Is there a film which the whole family has been itching to watch but hasn’t had time because there have been too many outside commitments? Now’s your chance! Turn the lights down low, grab a bowl of popcorn, a side serving of crisps and a few bars of your favourite chocolate and away you go for two hours or so of pure escapism and relaxation. If you’re looking for suggestions of what to watch, check out the latest DVD releases which include Dolittle and Spies In Disguise.
3. Let it glow
Strike a match and light a scented candle to create a cosy ambience and a relaxing atmosphere. The essential oils in scented candles have health benefits. Lavender can relieve anxiety and depression and, like vanilla, is good at alleviating stress. Orange, lemon and grapefruit lift the mood. Cinnamon helps with nerves and exhaustion. How about bringing the outdoors inside with geranium, jasmine, sandalwood, eucalyptus scented candles which not only smell heavenly but will make you feel healthier?
4. Bath time bliss
Immerse yourself in a scented bath for half an hour or so and let your cares slip away. Bath bombs add essential oils, colour and fizz to the water. Available for adults and children in a variety of scents and shapes, bath bombs were invented in 1989 by the founder of a cosmetics company who was inspired by the effect that Alka Seltzer tablets had when dropped into water. You can make bath bombs at home using ingredients such as citric acid and sodium bicarbonate with guidance available online.
5. Home sweet home
For sweet-toothed members of the family, there’s nothing better than a chocolate hit. Treat them to a box of chocolates where there’s sure to be something to suit all tastes. If you’re worried that the kids won’t be able to resist eating them all if left alone with the box, limit them to just one or two and keep the rest in a place where they won’t find it. After all, Easter is just around the corner and there will be a few chocolate eggs to tuck into.
6. Magic meal time
Treat being trapped at home as a special occasion worthy of your family’s favourite meal and push the boat out. Dad can choose the first course, Mum the second course and the children can decide on dessert. You can all pitch in to make preparing the meal a fun occasion with dad peeling and chopping the veg, mum doing the cooking and kids setting the table. Then sit down together, enjoy the fruits of your labour and have a good chat. So much more fun than a ready meal in front of the goggle box when any attempt at striking up a conversation is often met with stern looks.
8. Tootsies treat
If you have been standing for much of the day, you’ll want to give your feet a rest, but surely they deserve a bit of pampering? A foot spa will not only help you to relax but is also good for your health, releasing the tension surrounding muscles and enabling better blood circulation and reducing stress that is a major cause of headaches. You can enhance the relaxation experience by adding essential oils.
8. Dream getaway
So the coronavirus pandemic has put paid to many holiday plans this year but it can’t last forever! Meanwhile, we can all dream of returning to sun-soaked islands or exploring cities abroad, and surf the Internet to find out ideas for where to go. Popular hot spots include Spain, Greece, Cape Verde, Mexico, Prague, Venice and Amsterdam. For families who prefer to stay closer to home, England offers plenty of lovely coastal and rural retreats in counties such as Northumberland, Cornwall, Yorkshire, Derbyshire and
Gloucestershire. Sun, sea and sand or lush, rolling countryside ... a world of adventure is at your fingertips.
9. Picnic time
Who said picnics needed to be outdoors in the summer? Bring the sunshine into your home by spreading out a tablecloth on your living room floor or moving the dining table to the side of the room. Fill sandwiches or rolls with your favourite meat, fish or cheese, top with mayonnaise or chutney, cook up a quiche or two and a few chicken thighs, prepare a colourful salad and choose exotic fruit such as pineapple, mango or kiwi for dessert. Add your favourite wine or other alcoholic beverage, not forgetting soft drinks for the kids, and you’re all ready to picnic in style in the comfort of your own home.
Sowing the seeds 10
The advice from health experts is to stay indoors for people who are self-isolating but with the weather improving after the wet and windy winter, families may be biting at the bit to get into the garden. How about getting together to discuss changes that can be made to your outdoor space when the virus threat lifts? Perhaps the children want a new slide or swing, Dad is hankering after a shed where he can stash his tools or escape from the family for an hour and Mum wants to brighten up the garden with a new bench or flowers. Order garden furniture, seed and shed catalogues to be sent through the post or download the play equipment that catches your eye and run it past the kids before buying. Imagine the fun that you’ll all have creating your new-look garden and reaping the rewards.