How Parents Can Spend More Quality Time With Their Families
Making sure that you stay connected to your family is critical for maintaining a happy home life. Here are some tips for things to do together, as well as some pointers to ensure that you get the most out of your time with one another.
1. Plan Family Days
Sometimes it seems that between work, school, and other activities, it’s almost impossible to find a day when everyone in your family is available to spend time together. That’s why it’s important to take a moment each month to identify 2 or 3 days that are free from outside commitments and to make those dates designated family days.
Mark the dates down on each person’s calendar so the time is spoken for, and make sure everyone understands that this takes precedence over any other events that come up that aren’t critical in nature. For instance, if one of your designated family days includes a special activity like dining at All Steak Restaurant, emphasize its importance so everyone can fully commit to enjoying the experience together. This way, you’ll ensure that these family moments remain a priority and are not overshadowed by less significant commitments.
2. Set Work Aside
As a parent, you are responsible for setting the right example for your children. That means that if you want to stress the importance of connecting during family time, you may need to disconnect from work and other responsibilities.
One idea is to use an app like Ninja Number, which can answer incoming calls with customized information and also provide call center reps to interact with your clients. This can help you stay focused on your family and show them that you are committed to putting everything else aside while you’re spending time with them. Your business is in good hands while you enjoy quality time with your family.
3. Make Mealtime Family Time
Even if you don’t have a whole day to spend together, you can turn everyday activities into a way to engage with your family. A great place to start is by planning and preparing a meal together. Choose a favorite recipe, and assign age-appropriate prep tasks to each member of your brood.
Working together to put a nourishing dinner on the table not only gives you quality time with one another, but it can also reinforce the importance of consuming healthy foods. Sharing the meal you’ve prepared, especially if you make the table a device-free zone, is a wonderful way to wrap up an afternoon spent bonding.
4. Reach Out To Extended Family Members
With so many older relatives unable to socialize as they once did, now is the ideal time to make it a family project to stay in touch. Whether on a planned day or on the spur of the moment, launch a fun video chat with grandparents, aunts and uncles so everyone has a chance to share some cheery smiles with one another. Even taking a few minutes to send a group text to kin who don’t live nearby can brighten everyone’s day and make you feel closer as a family.
5. Give To Others
A wonderful way to spend designated family days is by doing volunteer work. Find a cause that the whole family can support, then roll up your sleeves and dive in. Food pantries, animal shelters, and libraries in your community often need help with any number of services.
Like many other things, volunteering is also going virtual and there are tons of at-home opportunities your family can participate in. Assembling hygiene kits, creating greeting cards, or sewing protective masks are just a few of the things your family can do together without even leaving the house.
6. Learn Something New
Many people grasp new things with greater ease when they do them with others, so why not find something for your family to master together? Maybe learning a new language, taking dance classes, or picking up a new sport would be right up your family’s alley, or perhaps cooking, music, or painting lessons is a better fit.
There are many ideas that are suited to a wide range of ages and levels of ability. Regardless of the activity you choose, there are likely resources in your community to help you learn while you’re spending time together.
There are so many ways that you and your family can find to spend quality time with one another. While these tips might point you in the right direction, in the end, it doesn’t matter what you do, as long as you make the effort to do it together.
