*photo credit: Maja Szumylo (http://www.emotionalphotography.com.au)

COVID-19 has turned life upside down, and resulted in financial hardship for many families. 

But, amongst all the tough news, social distancing and difficult adjustments, there’s plenty of light and love as well.

We’ve sifted the headlines to find these gems showing families making the most of a tricky situation…

Musical parodies

The family that sings together, has lots of laughs together. Just ask the families behind the viral YouTube clips that have been viewed hundreds of thousands of times.

An English family has been celebrated for their isolation-themed adaptation of a famous Les Misérables song.

Ben and Danielle Marsh and their four children changed the lyrics of One Day More to reflect common complaints during the Covid-19 lockdown. Watch it here.

Meanwhile, New Zealander Jack Buchanan, his sister and mum and dad have also become internet sensations after Jack released a choreographed video titled “Family Lockdown Boogie’’.

NZ Finance Minister Grant Robertson shared Jack’s video to his Facebook page this week, with the caption “Love this”. 

It also drew plenty of praise from the public.

“Great fun to see and a great time for families to re-connect at home,’’ one person commented.

“Many just don’t get the time in recent years, often due to both parents having to work…make the most of it because this can and will bring lifelong memories.”

Family photoshoots in the driveway

How about this lovely idea: professional photographers capturing family life in isolation from a safe distance.

The concept, dubbed #thedrivewayproject, was reported on by ABC Gold Coast this week, which followed the work of Gold Coast photographer Maja Szumylo who is offering free mini-shoots in residents’ driveways in an effort to create positivity amongst the drama. 

Ms Szumylo was quoted as having coming across the project from Darwin photographer Francesca Fuga.

“They [families] love it, they absolutely love it,” Ms Szumylo said.

“It’s bringing back some of the joy into the times we are experiencing. And the families love the photos.”

Camping out in the backyard

Easter camping plans cancelled?

Gnash your teeth – or just shift your thinking, say families who are embracing the growing push for people to camp out in their own backyard these school holidays.

The camping-at-home trend was picked up by the ABC this week in an online story.

Jason Simmons, a father from Ballarat in Victoria, was quoted as saying backyard camping had been a way for his family to continue to enjoy each other’s company while in lockdown.

“I think it helps break that cycle in our mindset, that we would otherwise think being in lockdown we’ve got to stay home,” he said.

“There’s an upshot to this … not sharing the toilet block with 50,000 others like if you’re in a caravan park.”

Taking bins out in costume

Plenty of families have joined in the fun of dressing up to take their bins out on collection day.

Dedicated Facebook pages have been set up for people to send in videos of their efforts. Find them here and here.

Do you have another story to add?

Do you have your own uplifting tale of family life in lockdown? We’d love to hear it. Message us via our Facebook page.