Families are the cornerstone for why we do what we do, so of course we want to acknowledge that today is International Day of Families! Team Wren has been protecting and serving the families of Florida for over 40 years, and in honor of today we wanted to give you some ideas to celebrate you and your family 😊

• Organize a Community Family Picnic!
  • While social distancing is important, social isolation is not – this means that we do not have to socially restrict ourselves, but simply respect social distancing guidelines. One great way to do this is to organize a community picnic! Grab your family, pack a meal, layout a blanket, and social distance in style! This could be done with a group from a neighborhood, a condominium, or even just a group of friends and/or schoolmates.
• Volunteer to Support Families!
  • While COVID-19 is affecting us all, there are still some ways to give back to our community’s families in need. Many donation sites are still taking financial and physical donations during this time. There are also many public schools that are giving back in numerous ways including teacher appreciation drives and providing meals to kids in need. Perhaps consider donating and/or volunteering to such a program that is working hard to support families in our area.
• Make a Family “Date Night”!
  • Since we are all staying home, for the most part, a fun way to shake things up is to plan a special family date night! Pick one night a week, or even one night a month, to have special family time. Order food from your favorite local restaurant, rent that movie that you never saw in the theatres, layout some pillows and blankets on the floor, and buy some special snacks for the movie night and slumber party! This will get kids of all ages engaged and excited and bring the family together for a special time. What a great excuse to spend some quality time together without screens.
• Tell Your Family What They Mean to You!
  • Family is a meaningful word for many of us, but how often do we take the time out of our busy schedules to slow down and express how much our family members truly mean to us? During this time of societal slow-downs and working from home, perhaps you could use some of your extra time to tell your family how important they are to you. Take a small break to call that extended family member you haven’t spoken to in a long-time, that old friend who got you through a tough time in the past, or even your immediate family members that you interact with daily. Write a letter to those whom you have chosen to call family and express to them how grateful you are for their presence in your life. Create a short video expressing how much you love your family and post it on social media. Just utilize whatever resources you have around you to express your gratitude for your family!
• Hold a Family Competition!
  • Healthy competition is never bad, and this weekend could be the perfect time to breakout a family competition! Use the unique preferences and interests of your family to create a competition that will get everyone in your family excited. Maybe you have a family of foodies, and you would like to hold a cooking competition? Maybe you have a family of gamers, and you would like to hold a board game battle? Maybe you have an active family, and you would like to set up a relay race in your backyard and compete to see who can complete it the quickest? There are so many fun ways to create competitions within your family unit and have an instant family-bonding experience.

Family, whatever that may look like for you, is something to be celebrated! Whether your family was given or chosen, choose to celebrate those closest to you this weekend!