Modern life is demanding that family time has become a luxury. It is necessary for those wishing to build happy and healthy families to spend time together. Family time is a great time to understand what makes your children happy and what challenges they are navigating. Setting aside blocks allocated for family time can be very difficult for busy families. By the time everyone is home from work, school and other outside activities people are tired. But if you say family is important, you will make time for family like all the other activities and responsibilities in your life. So, take time out to eat as a family, play, read, and talk together, teach children that they matter, that relationships are worth nurturing, and that strong family bonds breed success.
The lack of family time
Parents who zone out each evening in front of the television or computer for hours and hours rob children of the necessary family time that they need. It is selfish of parents to choose to not spend time with their kids. Kids grow up fast and before you know it they will leave the nest and you will have all the time for the screen, all lonely.
Family bonds
Making a conscious effort to spend quality family time together is vital to the health and welfare of children. Children do not thrive if parents don’t interact with them daily. Family time is a parenting tool which helps to regulate the content that children are exposed to and introduce healthier activities. Developing strong relationships with children also will build bonds that last a lifetime.
Make time to eat together
It should be a rule that everyone should be at the dinner table for supper. Research shows that sitting and having dinner together has the most positive impact on children. Family members should wait for everyone to be served before eating and remain at the table until everyone is through. This teaches children patience. Sitting quietly and calmly to eat, and listening attentively and participating in the conversation teaches them the value of good manners. It is equally important to include children the meal preparation, setting the table and clean-up. Although table manners must be taught and reinforced, mealtime should be a pleasant experience with a focus on togetherness. Parents should choose to be in a good mood and not let the days issues weigh down the meal.
Switch off the television and the computer
We use television to pass time but why not take that time and invest it in some family time? “Switching off the television in the evening helps to place the focus on the people in the house instead of the strangers on the screen,” experts say. They further claim that violence and sexual imagery negatively change the brain chemistry of children, resulting in permanent changes in the brain’s wiring. Shutting off the television and the computer eliminates the risk that children will be exposed to damaging levels of violence and sexual content.The evening hours spent interacting as a family instead of staring at the television will benefit everyone greatly and will help create warm and lasting memories.
Set a relaxed mood for family time
It’s the little things that mean a world. Bathing your young children and putting them in their pyjamas is a good time to bond. Make sure you don’t use the time to argue or for bickering. Family time should be warm, joyful and happy. Parents should be demonstrative and giving, snuggle, hug, and kiss the kids and each other.
Find games and activities
Don’t let the weekend go to waste. Use it to have fun with the children. Colouring, board games, guessing games, acting, playing with dolls or cars, and reading are all fun things to do together. Allow children to help set the agenda. The lockdown is a blessing in disguise because it has forced us to stay indoors and reconnect.
There are other opportunities during the day for family time
Instead of executing chores and activities alone, invite your children to take part. It is probably true that activities will be completed slower with kids as helpers, but their happiness far outweighs the inconvenience.Take the kids on the morning and afternoon dog walk, invite them to join in on gardening, ask them to help wash the car or help with the laundry. Time with them is precious because before you know it, they will fly the nest.
