How To Reconnect With Your Family
June 30, 2008 by Christina Lemmey
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By Guest Blogger Aurelia Williams of Real Life Guidance.
People complain all the time about how busy they are with work, school, and activities. Family time seems to come in last place or is completely forgotten as the family becomes consumed with its responsibilities and activities.
Rather than becoming a family of strangers, simply take 30 minutes a day to reconnect. It doesn’t have to be a big event; in fact, being spontaneous with your activity will invite some giggles and everyone will be more relaxed.
Here are some simple tips for spending more family time together:
Television is one of the biggest distractions in our modern homes. The bigger the screen, the more entranced we become. Make a habit of turning off the television, especially during family dinner time, and spend time talking and listening to your family members.
Remember the “good ol’ days” by taking a walk down memory lane. Pull out the old family photo albums and share funny stories or remember a beloved relative who has passed away.
Praying or meditating together can help soothe your bodies and minds and helps us become more compassionate toward others. Making a ritual of worshipping together builds your social community and helps us to understand that life is precious.
The kitchen is the “heart of the home” and children can learn that early on by helping prepare meals. Assign each family member a job and allow the older children to plan the dinner menu and/or prepare the actual meal.
Eating dinner together (without the tv on!) is a wonderful time to discuss everyone’s day and to hear about any struggles or worries that may be festering. A supportive family who can converse openly about any subject helps strengthen the children’s self-esteem and confidence level.
Plan an adventure. Head off for parts unknown with a map, a picnic lunch and a full tank of gas. Laugh when you make a wrong turn and hand off the map to see if another sibling can find their way home.
One-on-one time with each individual child is just as important as whole family time. Make a date with each child and do something special together. Listen carefully to your child as this is their chance to be heard without interruption.
Enjoy the great outdoors. Taking the dog for a walk or riding your bikes around the park will give your family extra time to talk as well as keep the family healthy. To keep the activities new and fresh, let each family member choose an activity.
Exercising together will help each family member reach a common health goal. Having this support system will make those goals more attainable. Teaching your children at an early age about the benefits of daily exercise will also help prevent them from becoming “couch potatoes.”
Plan a family fun night at home. Entertainment and quality family fun does not have to cost anything. Pull out some dusty board games, teach the kids a new card game or have dinner and a movie.
Time goes by so quickly and our kids will only be young once. Enjoy this family time now, despite the arguing and fighting that may occur, because someday you will wake up and your kids will be grown and you will only have distant memories of their youth.
About the Author: Are you a mom looking or a little support? Aurelia Williams is a certified life coach and owner of Real Life Guidance. Visit today and get the support and guidance that you need.
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[...] Welcome Moms! Please register as a user and feel free to submit your posts and comments often! We are link friendly and super excited about what you have to say!Family time is becoming an activity that is rarely seen these days with both parents working and not enough time to spend with the kids. In many homes these days, children are booked with activities spanning from school, to sports to church and parents are busy with work. It seems that it gets harder and harder to schedule valuable family time. [...]