10 Ways To Encourage A Home-bound Friend

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While this post is highlighting ideas for someone home-bound, the ideas on this list could be used for all sorts of things! Encourage a mother-to-be on bed rest, a friend in the hospital, a family with a newborn, someone that doesn't have family nearby, etc. As my blogging friend Laura so beautifully wrote, "Compassion is the beginning of love, and without love we are nothing." So, go spread some love!

1. Take them a meal--Check for dietary restrictions or cravings first! For me, it spoke volumes that a friend brought us dinner last week.  Since I can't stomach cooking without getting sick yet, it gave my husband a break for one night...priceless! When we had Jonah, our church family brought meals for 2 weeks! If you have a reason to organize a large number of meals for a friend, try using TakeThemAMeal.com

2.  Send them a card--Seriously, how easy is that?!? Let them know that you're thinking of them. Trust me, REAL mail is so much better than a message on Facebook!

3.  Call them--Chances are, if they will be home-bound for long, they'll get lonely and need some conversation.

4.  Offer to watch their children--It doesn't have to be for long, even just a morning playdate will be greatly appreciated. When Mommy gets sick it's a hard thing to entertain little ones well. Chances are, the kids need a break, too! (A sweet friend took Jonah last Friday morning for a few hours....pure bliss for everyone!)

5.  Take them a "Survival Kit" stocked full of snacks, their favorite magazine or a new book, some fun new socks, fancy lotions, etc.

6.  Take a movie to their house and watch it with them. Bring a snack they're craving.

7.  Do something for their caregiver. Give them a break. Offer to help while they go run errands.

8.  Offer to pick up something from the store for them. (I seriously could have used this a few weeks ago for Ray's birthday & Valentine's Day. Instead, I handed him an I.O.U. Real romantic of me, huh?)

9.  Offer to drive them to an appointment or through the drive-thru for a milkshake . (Since I'm currently not allowed to drive while on this crazy cocktail of medication, I think this would be awesome!)

10.  Offer to help them clean their house. Most likely they'll refuse, but you would be an awesome friend to load the dishwasher and run the vacuum. 🙂

A note for my "In Real Life Friends" that might be reading: This is in no way a plea for you to come to my house and clean. It's just a general suggestion for people who might need an idea on how to encourage a home-bound friend. I'm fine. Carry on...unless you feel like bringing me a strawberry milkshake and french fries 🙂

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