Spending More Quality Time with Your Family

With today’s busy lives, there can be so much going on that you quickly run out of time to do anything as a family. In some cases, you might not even see each other for more than a few minutes a day. Family time is vital, so it’s important that you try to cultivate time together whenever you can. Here are some ideas that you can use to create more quality time with all of your family.

Be Organized

Having more time together as a family can take a lot of organization, so the more you can plan, the more time you will have. Start by using a planner that you can put up in the kitchen or the hall. On it, write all the things that you and the rest of the family have each week, and you will then see any gaps easily which you can use for family time. Before this time gets used for something else, write down on the planner that you are doing something together as a family. Then tell the rest of the family so that they don’t book something at the same time. When you have set the date, think about how often you want to do things as a family. It might be that there is only time once or twice a month when you are all free. If that’s the case, then book your family time in early!

Plan Meal Times Together

Having a meal together is a special time for many people, because it not only helps you to share a meal, it also gives you the opportunity to discuss the day’s events. As well as your family time, try whenever possible to have your meals together. Even if you just manage to have breakfast as a family, it will be something. The daily interaction like this is important for families, it allows your children to tell you about things going on in their lives, and it helps you as parents to advise your kids of things coming up.

Have Technology Free Time

You might find that even if you do manage to get some time together, your children especially, might be busy on their phones checking their social media or chatting with friends. It can be a distraction for you and them, so try to impose a technology-free period of about an hour or so when you are together. Tell your children that this is family time and no technology is allowed. It might be hard for them at first, but it will encourage them to talk and interact with you. You and your partner should also ditch the phones and turn off televisions and computers.

Try Doing a Project Together

Are you looking to lay new decking or revamp a bedroom? If you are, it can be the perfect opportunity to get everyone involved. Not only will it give you some quality time together, but it will also make the project go a lot quicker. Kids, in particular, love to help out, especially little ones, so give them a brush and let them paint the walls. Even if they don’t do an excellent job, at least they are spending time with you.

Take a Walk Together

Sometimes you don’t need to do a specific task to make it quality family time. Just a walk along the beach or down to the local park can be all the better by having everyone there. If you go to a local park, then the younger kids will have somewhere to play, and the older kids and you can chat. It can be times like these that your children may feel relaxed enough to discuss things with you that might be bothering them. It can be difficult for children, so you need to listen and understand what they are telling you.

Doing Activities Together

When you are all together, it can be nice to create some nice memories as a family that you can look back on with fondness. For that reason, try to think of some fun activities that you can all do together. Perhaps you can take some sports equipment to the local park and play games together, or perhaps you can work together to solve puzzles in the Boston Escape Room. Take plenty of pictures of your day so that you can look back on them and remember the fun you had.

Start Taking Your Kids to School or After School Clubs

Although you might like the idea of your children traveling to school on their own for independence, it can have its drawbacks. They may have to leave for school early to catch the bus and may miss family breakfast as a result. If you can, think about taking them to school or their clubs. Not only will it mean that they can leave later and now have breakfast with you, but it is also a fantastic opportunity to spend some time together. You can chat about what is happening that day and if there are any issues they have. It is a sad fact that some school issues are not brought to the attention of the parents until something happens, so it’s worth trying to speak to them.

Reading a Story Together

When your children are little, there can be nothing better than reading a story with them, especially at bedtime. Not only are you sharing a story, but you are also spending some high-quality time together. Make it a whole event with them helping you choose the book and then perhaps they can help you to read the story. Don’t try to rush the story, take the time to read it and explain to them things they don’t understand. Many children remember story time with parents as something they enjoyed.

Time goes past quickly, and before you know it, your children will be grown and looking for a home of their own. For that reason, you need to make these memories now before it’s too late.

 

*This is a collaborative post