.Given the current climate of the world, Covid safety issues during family gatherings are an important topic to discuss. If you have a big family or different family members, it’s very likely they will have different opinions and feelings around covid safety; and there is nothing wrong with that.

When trying to find common ground at family gatherings, one important thing to keep in mind is not everyone is going to agree with you, and that doesn’t make it right or wrong.

When it comes to Covid safety issues there are three different things that might help you find common ground with others.

Discuss the Specific Topic Beforehand

To avoid conflict or confusion make it a point to discuss the topic beforehand. For example, wearing a mask. If the person having the gathering approaches everyone individually and says, “I’m having people over, I’m talking to people individually, this is what I need at my house.” Their request may be they want everyone to wear a mask since they don’t live together.

If that person tells everyone ahead of time, everybody knows the expectations and they’ll be able to make their own decision of whether they want to go or not; and it’s their own choice.

Finding Compromises for Disagreements

Finding compromises is helpful in dealing with issues that may arise. If someone says, “I want you to wear a mask at my house, at all times.” The thought might be, “Then I don’t want to go.” But there is a compromise, “ I don’t want to go,” doesn’t have to be the answer.

You can come up with a compromise. A way to do this is to approach the person and discuss it with them. Talking to the person and letting them know you don’t enjoy wearing a mask all of the time, and asking if there is a way to compromise such as joining via zoom or doing a short facetime call with some of the guests.  Discussing this can lead to a compromise that works for both of you.

Break Up a Large Event Into Smaller Events

If you have a family and there is a lot of conflict or disagreements, a way to avoid this is to break up a large event into small events. Instead of having everyone over at the same time, try changing it to having brunch with one side of the family, and dinner with another. Breaking down a larger gathering into smaller gatherings gives you the ability to spend time with everyone while also avoiding all of the conflicts.

By breaking it up there will be less conflict and you will probably be a lot happier too!

By implementing these tips, you’ll have clear ways to navigate Covid and safety issues with family members at family gatherings.

For more on this topic, check out the previous articles

https://www.drldabney.com/article/how-to-handle-stressful-situations-with-extended-family/

https://www.drldabney.com/article/how-to-deal-with-fractured-family-traditions/

https://www.drldabney.com/article/how-to-handle-sensitive-topics-with-family/

For more topics, go to www.drldabney.com.

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