Spending time with family is an important aspect of staying connected to each other and maintaining healthy and loving relationships. There are tons of options when it comes to spending quality time with your loved ones.
Spending Time With Family
Spending time with your family helps strengthen and maintain your family bond. While it may feel challenging in certain moments to spend a lot of time together, it's important to make an effort to be together as often as possible.
Check in With Each Other
Checking in with each other throughout the day is a sweet and easy way to show that you are thinking of each other. This way, even if you can't be together, you can still connect. You can do so by:
- Sending a text
- Slipping a note into your little one's lunch
- Leaving a note on the fridge
- Calling your loved one to say hi
- Chatting about your day when you reunite
Create Traditions Together
Traditions can include:
- Special family holiday customs
- Setting up a movie night on the same night each week
- Eating a special meal and/or dessert on a certain day of the week every week
- Taking a family trip once a year
Make the Mundane Fun
If you have little ones, allow them to participate in the tasks you have to get done around the house. Little ones will jump at the chance to be included in more grown up chores, so make whatever you're doing a fun way to include them, while also teaching them about responsibility. Not only is this a great way to connect with each other, but you can also get your chores done while having fun.
- Play music while you complete chores together
- Get your little ones to participate in helping out with dinner and cleaning up (put their dishes and utensils in a child accessible cabinet so they can help set up for meals)
- Race with your little one to take out the trash and recycling
- Make a laundry train (use a big blanket to collect all the laundry from around the house- if they are really little they can "ride" the laundry train)
Make Time to Eat Together
Sharing food is a great way to connect and enjoy each others' company.
- Make sure no phones or other electronics are used at the table
- Take turns deciding what you'll have for dinner
- Make meals that are meaningful to you, your partner (if applicable), or another caregiver (if applicable) and explain why
- Eat mindfully and encourage your child or children to do so as well (focus on the senses while eating and listen to your body)
Create a Meaningful Bedtime Routine
Routines can help everyone within the family feel secure and loved. Be sure you have a bedtime routine that works for everyone and that you are able to connect with everyone within the house prior to going to sleep. You can:
- Talk about your favorite moment of the day with each other before saying goodnight
- Read a bedtime story to your child or children
- Say, "I love you" to those in your household before going to bed
- Play soft music around the house after dinner or watch something relaxing/mellow together
- Take a walk together after dinner to unwind
Take Interest in Each Other's Hobbies
Showing an interest in each others' hobbies is a great way to spend time together and show that you care about one anothers' interests. You can:
- Take turns letting each family member pick a group activity that has to do with their hobby
- Support each other's hobbies by showing up to watch contests, events, and presentations
- Taking time to discuss each other's interests
Taking an interest is especially important for a parent(s) and/or caregiver(s) to do with children's hobbies as doing so can help the child feel supported, accepted, and loved.
Have One Shared Activity
Finding a fun shared activity can be a great way to connect. You can do a shared activity with one family member, multiple family members, or all family members if you'd like. Some shared activities:
- Reading a book together
- Taking a class together (cooking, baking, sewing, wood working, art, workout, language, etc.)
- Working out together (hiking, biking, heading to the gym, jogging, swimming, yoga, dance, etc.)
- Watching a series together
- Creating a scrapbook together
- Making a family tree
- Planting a garden
- Making a meal together once a week
- Playing music together
- Volunteering together
How to Spend More Time With Family
The best ways to spend time with family are not necessarily the ideas that take up the most time, but are the moments that are high quality, where everyone is tuned in and connected to each other. When you are spending time together, cherish the moments you have with each other. Keep in mind that not every moment needs to be an intense emotionally connected moment. Time together can simply be fun, lighthearted, and silly.
Benefits of Spending Time With Family
The benefits of spending time with family:
- Improve communication
- Foster connection and trust
- Enjoy each other's company and have fun
- Support each other through ups and downs
- Foster loving relationships
How To Improve Quality of Family Time
To improve quality time together:
- Dedicate some time to be electronic free
- Find activities that everyone can agree on
- Spend time with everyone together, and also in smaller groups or dyads
- Try to be fully present and in the moment so you can enjoy being with each other
Spending Time With Family Quotes
Sweet family quotes can serve as an inspiration for spending more quality time together and keeping your family engaged and together.
How Can I Make My Family More Fun?
Because what's fun for one person may be different for others, it can be difficult to find activities that everyone agrees are fun. If this is the case, it's best to take turns picking out what feels fun and making sure that everyone makes an effort to engage, even if they aren't the one who picked out the activity.
Spend Time With Family
Spending time with your family can help you all feel connected to each other and loved. Even if you don't have a ton of time for each other, make sure to be fully engaged during the moments you do share and make an effort to plan longer periods of time to connect with each other.
