Spending More Time Together

It seems like families are spending less and less time together, especially as the children get older. People are going in so many different directions, between school, sports, work and other obligations; even having a meal together is a rarity. Here are a few tips for fitting family time in your busy life.

Find a night where everyone is free, even if it’s a weeknight. If you can’t find at least one night a month that is free, it might be time to scale back on activities. Once the time is scheduled in, it is time to decide what the family wants to do. There are many activities that can be fun for the whole family.

Family dinner has traditionally been a very important time of day. Even if your family already spends dinner together, try to make it extra special once a week. Invite the kids to help plan and cook the menu. Help them decide what goes into a well-balanced meal. Even young children can help cook, with supervision. Not only will you spend more time together, they will be learning important skills.

Depending on how much time you have, and how frequently you can have a family night, consider a family sport activity. There are family
leagues, as well as softball and other sports. Or if you have a membership at the local pool, go swimming together. Take a walk or bike ride.

When the kids have a day off from school, perhaps you can take a personal day off work too. If it’s nice, spend the day at the park. Pack a picnic and bring and games. If the weather is bad, there are museums to visit. Many cities have a hands-on science museum that can be just as much fun for the adults as it is for the kids.

If your family has the time to go on vacation, plan a trip that the whole family can enjoy. Make a list of possible locations and activities and then decide what sounds most interesting to the whole family. Even if you can’t get away for a week, see if your family can manage a long weekend together. A quick search on-line will help you find all kinds of interesting attractions that are practically in your back yard.

Have a family slumber party. Get out the sleeping bags, and pop some popcorn. Pick a favorite movie, play games, sit up all night talking. Get to know each other better. Family time is fun and rewarding and even in a busy modern family a little special time goes a long way.

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