What does family time look like? Simple activities to foster meaningful connections.
Summer is here and gone. School is ramping up and so are the commitments, schedules, and busy days that turn into rushed nights of scrambling to make dinner, cleaning up, and making sure everyone is ready for tomorrow; including getting to bed at an appropriate time. Take a deep breath in and let it out. Maybe one more to acknowledge the emotions and release any anxiety that rose to the surface while reading that. Family life is busy. Whether you have one child/teen or multiple. Here are a few simple ideas to integrate into your everyday grind that provide opportunities for meaningful connections with your kids and your partner.
Meal prep- I can honestly admit that planning and executing meals is a daunting task and not on my list of favorite things. My creative brain simply shuts down and I resort to repeating this sentence- we have no food with which to make a good meal! That is not true, nor is it helpful. It helps to ask the kids and your partner for ideas. Enlist them to participate in any of the necessary tasks; setting the table, cutting up veggies and fruit, getting drinks ready, placing hot pads on the table, etc. There is something for everyone to do! My husband is the best at assigning age-appropriate tasks! Put on some music, dance in the kitchen, relax and allow it to be an experience, not just a task to be completed.
Go for a walk- a simple way to get outside, move your body, and appreciate the beauty of God’s creation. It might help to have the kids on bikes, scooters, or in a wagon. Take a few laps around the neighborhood, nearby park, or down a trail. What colors do you see? What sounds do you hear? Enjoy the simplicity of leaves, acorns, cool shaped sticks. Carry on a conversation or just be together. There are no rules, expectations, requirements. Just an opportunity to be healthy together.
Read a good book- yes, together! Again, this is something all ages are able to participate in as a family and read a book (or two) together. For little ones not yet able to read, ask them to point out what is on the pages. For kids who can read, take turns reading a page or paragraph. For teens, find an appropriate and conversation starting book that will allow for depth and growth in an area they are interested in, struggling with, or will prepare them for life. Finally, with your partner it is helpful to read the same book either physically together or separate and then discuss it while physically together.
Embracing the simplicity in everyday moments and allowing them to be an opportunity to connect, stir up conversation, and interact in positive ways allows for relationships to grow. Your kids crave these moments with you and it helps fuel them for the challenging school days they face. Be intentional in how you spend your time; with grace for yourself and them. Breathe and pause to refocus and then invite your family to be part of the simple moments that shape our everyday life.
