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Many of us are so busy with a gamut of activities that begin every Monday mornings, culminate on Sunday nights, and then start over again. Time passes by as we hurry to finish deadlines that are associated with taking care of the family chores, working, driving the kids to school, extending care for our parents and other relatives, and making sure we don’t miss our daily commitments. Nevertheless, we recognize that spending relaxation and recreation time with the family is the greatest means that we have to show that we love and care for our family dearly and that they are an important parcel of our lives.
Some families fix this issue by planning family trips together. This enables them to avoid the daily distractions and communicate by creating new memories as a family. But though this is a wonderful option, everyday habits could make a big difference to family connections than those spur-of-the-moment events. Also, customizing your everyday interactions with all family members can be a great and powerful way of interacting with them more personally.
Below is a list of several tips that could make spending quality and recreational time with your family modest, significant, and a part of your everyday life.
- Have dinner together. Make sure that you leave your work on time and postpone your overtime work for later during the evening so you can be there for dinner with your family. Eating meals together with your family will allow you to know everyone more through your casual conversations on the dining table. This is also a chance for your children to ask you the questions that they’ve meaning to ask but couldn’t because you were busy the whole day.
- Fix broken things. Are the locks of your bedroom door broken? Does the kitchen walls need painting? Let the kids join in when you can work on the house on your own. For parents like us, it may seem ordinary, but to children, it’s amazing to get to be a handyman for a day or the assistant plumber to dad when he fixes the sink. Fixing broken things at home together strengthens the bond with your kids and allows you more time to build meaningful conversations.
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- Drive your kids to school. Try to do this as much as you can despite your hectic schedule. Regularly driving your child to class gives you personal time to talk while you’re on the road. Make your trip to school a form of together time for you and your child.
- Be a role model to your teens. Being a good parent and doing well for the family and community will inspire your teen to practice volunteerism and aim to make a significant impact on the people around him. Sign up for an activity in the neighborhood or for a cause that you and your child can take part in.
- Know your teen’s circle of friends. Your teen is slowly exploring the social world outside of their immediate family. You won’t see as much of him in the house as he spends lots of time with their friends. Knowing who he’s with and learning about them is the best thing to do as a parent. Try to be a friend to them as well and make them feel comfortable in such a way that they – and your teen – will open up to you.
- Always spend time with your teen every day. Five minutes is as vital as 30 when it comes to spending time with your teenager. You could give him a hug and talk a while before he goes to his room to study, or you could simply ask him how his day was. Commit to giving quality time with our teen as much as possible – it is one of the most important things you can do to build a relationship with him during this stage of his life.
- Encourage your children to call their grandparents once in a while. If possible, give them a visit and let your children see how much you care for your own parents. This way, they will learn to foster kindness and generosity of their time to seniors. Besides, grandparents are always happy to get a call from their grandkids.
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- Cook together regularly. It may not be every day or every other day – it could just be on the weekends when everyone’s relaxed – it’s always nice to flock together on the counter and do some cooking. Casual talks happen in the kitchen when the kids are washing the dishes or setting the table. These are fun and relaxing times.
- Remember family traditions. These are what’s keeping the family and significant others closely bonded together. The older members of the family are typically more knowledgeable about family practices that have been passed through generations. Share these traditions with the young ones and make time for everyone to learn them, practice them, and make memories that will last a lifetime.