A Quick Guide To Spending More Quality Time With Your Family
If you feel like you don’t currently spend enough quality time with your family (quality being the operative word), then you probably want some ideas to change that. There’s a difference between spending time with your family, watching TV or scrolling on your phones and not paying attention to one another, and actually enjoying one another’s company. Here, we’re going to give you a few pointers that can help you to make quality time a regular thing. When you make this a priority, you’ll feel closer as a family unit and will likely find that disagreements and arguments happen much less. Take a look and see what you can do!
Commit To Eating Just One Meal A Day Together
There are a huge number of benefits to having just one meal together each day, with no TV or phones. This way, you can concentrate on one another fully, tell stories from your day, and feel more connected. Kids benefit massively from having meals with family: studies have shown that they can do better in school, resist peer pressure, and that they are more likely to come to you if they have a problem.
Create Special Areas You Can Spend Time and Catch Up
Take a look at your home and figure out whether you have appropriate areas you can use for catching up and enjoying one another’s company. You could do this by creating a special area in the garden using quality patio furniture, a firepit, lighting, and other accessories. Try to have rooms without technology to encourage conversation.
Plan Bi-Weekly Family Dates
Get serious about planning family dates. Bi-weekly can be a good option and work for most schedules, however, you may want to choose weekly or monthly dates, depending on your budget. Make sure you go for whatever is easiest for you to commit to based on your work schedules, schoolwork, and other things going on in your life. These dates don’t have to be huge, like going to a theme park or on vacation. They can simply be a picnic in the park, or a trip to a local coffee shop for cake.
Get Active Together
Getting active together can help you to feel closer as a family, and is great for your health. It’s a great way to get kids to enjoy exercise while they are young, helping them to stay healthier for longer, too. Go for walks, even a short walk after dinner. Make it a habit to do things like this together.
Cook Meals
Cooking with your family can be a great way to bond and later enjoy the fruits of your labor. You can teach your kids valuable life skills while you’re at it, too!
Pick A Book
Why not start a family book club, or get into the habit of reading together before bed? These habits will help your children in life and in school!
Make It Easy To Communicate
Make sure open communication is encouraged in your family. Do this by knowing when to be vulnerable, sharing stories about yourself (your kids need to know that you’re human and have made mistakes, too), and trying to keep your emotions in check when your kids tell you something personal or share a worry with you.
