On the Agenda

With the emergence of “hustle culture” in today’s generation, it can be difficult to set aside quality time for the family. Parents today work long hours and children spend more time in school than they do at home. In fact, a survey found that families in America spend a mere 37 minutes together per day.

We all want to create long-lasting ties and bonds with our families, and that takes effort. Fortunately, there are plenty of things children and parents can do to make family time not only a priority, but also something that everyone looks forward to.

Have a calendar at home on display in a common area and pick a day of the week that is always family time. Do your best to coordinate around everyone’s schedules. Collaborate with everyone to make this time more exciting and give everyone in the family something to look forward to each week.

Whether it’s going out for dinner, catching a movie, or staying at home for game night, families can find something to do that everyone enjoys. Exercising together is another great way to connect. Hike or take a bike ride together, which will check off several boxes: family bonding, exercise, and stress relief.

Another fun way to connect with family is in the kitchen. Research shows that eating together increases positive mental health, helps children make better, healthier food choices, and can even improve children’s grades.

Get artsy with your family and come up with creative activities to do together. Encourage children to become more involved in family time by having them come up with things they’d like to do, talk about or learn more about.

Compiled by Paige Vannarath

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