I know that these are uncertain and rather scary times. For many, your world has been turned upside down, and we all face days filled with question marks. In the midst of it all, as life returns to normal for some and not for others, I see families spending more time together. Instead of complaining about it or feeling trapped, I encourage you to make the most of it. Make some memories that will stick with your kids forever. Here are a few ideas:

1. Make up Your Own Sports Tournament

Pick a game your family likes to play and compete against each other. Or choose an online game and play it with another family. This would be a great time for a video game tournament.

2. Have a Sports Movie Marathon

Introduce your kids to some classic sports movies, like Remember the Titans, Sandlot or Facing Giants. 

3. Make a Sports Photo Album

Go through all your Facebook and Instagram photos and make a photo album digitally that you can have printed. Let your kids go through their Facebook photos or Instagram photos and design their own album.

4. Read Sports Books or Biographies

You may think your kids will never go for this suggestion but let them choose a book about their favorite sports personality. Read it together or let them read it alone. Take some time to talk about it as they are reading it.

5. Create a Family Sports Journal

Let each family member write down something in a family journal that happened during their sports season—maybe highs and lows. You will find it very enlightening when you go back to read it later.

6. Take Time Every Night to be Grateful for Little Victories

It’s easy to forget the positives that happen every day in practice or in games. A study has shown that people who go to bed thinking about things they are grateful for are more optimistic, resilient and emotionally healthy. Talk about it at the dinner table or before bedtime.

7. Play with Your Kids

Make a point of playing with your kids—whether it’s soccer in the backyard, shooting hoops in the driveway, or hitting balls at the batting cages—and just have fun while you are doing it. No coaching, no agenda, just fun. Go bike riding or go on a nature walk–all the things that families used to do before they got so busy.

You have been given a gift.

Can I be so bold to suggest that we’ve all been given a gift? Yes, it’s wrapped in a scary package of uncertainty, but this gift of time with your family that you had not counted on is an opportunity that you may never have again. I know this was thrust upon us, and the circumstances are tragic for some and just plain inconvenient for others, but please don’t let it go to waste.