With busy lifestyles and each family member having his or her “own thing”,
we usually find it hard to connect and make quality time for our family. When
everything seems to be the same day in and day out, perhaps you should consider
different ways of improving you and your family’s life. You can bond with each
other over pizza, or plan a three-day road trip with your teen. From
simple to special, we have listed several tips on becoming a tighter, happier
family.
Break out of the routine by doing something special.
Weekends are usually the time when teenagers sleep the day away or go out
with friends, younger children watch cartoons the whole morning through, and
parents try to accomplish as many chores as possible. Change
your routine and do something new for a change. For example,
wake up really early one weekend, prepare a thermos of hot cocoa, gather your
family’s breakfast mugs, and wake them all up before first light. Tell them
you’re all going for a drive, and that they should not take anything with them
apart from what they’re wearing.
When it’s not too cold out, let them stay in their pyjamas; otherwise,
coats and wellies are in order. Drive eastward to where you’ll have a great
view of the rising sun. Take out the cocoa, hand each family member a mug, and
simply take in the sun as it rises. It’s a great way to start the weekend
together.
Eat together.
Busy families tend to spend less time together at the dinner table, but we
all know that the best conversations usually happen over a meal. Open and
strengthen communication lines by cooking and having meals together, or by
having a weekend cook-off.
Team up and come up with challenging recipes, a quirky set of criteria for
judging, and a blind taste test. You may be used to calling for takeaways or
eating out, but if you really want to improve your family life, it’s best to do
something meaningful, something your kids will remember even when they already
have a family of their own. Who knows, it can become a tradition!
Go on a trip.
Best for families with older kids, a road trip can become the ultimate
family vacation. This activity requires careful planning, and enables parents
to give their children more responsibilities. There are plenty of bonding
moments when you’re out in the open road or camping by a fire. Spending time
with your kids away from distractions also gives you the opportunity to talk
about your family, especially when you’re going through a rough patch.
Communicate.
Families, even the most tight-knit ones, aren’t without their share of
squabbles. There may be fights, conflicts, misunderstandings, and a slew of
other issues in between. Resolving the issue is not always easy, but one thing
you have to remember is to keep
communicating. Problems rarely resolve themselves when left
alone; these can even create feelings of deep resentment. Talk things out, and
make the family members involved know that what they have to say is important.
It can be a silly or serious—what’s important is that at the end of the day,
there is no love lost and you have an understanding and a solution.
This is a guest post.
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