Spending time
together as a family can often seem like a distant memory. Between work, school
and social lives, it’s difficult to remember to take the time to bond as a
family – and harder still to keep the teenagers interested! While it might seem
you need to surgically remove your teenager’s phone from their hands, there are
a few easier tactics you can use to try and grab their attention and have them
involved in some family memories they’ll remember forever.
Having fun the old fashioned way
Sometimes, the
best nights are spent with a group of people and a board game. Board games have
a bad reputation for being long and boring, but there are some perfect family
ones out there which will have all of you laughing together for hours. Make a
night of it by making snacks to accompany the game, and make sure whichever
board game you pick is within the skill range of every member of your family.
Switch off personal consoles
Part of the
problem these days is that everybody has their own electronic device, so it’s
easy to enter your own little world and forget there are people around you.
Switch off your tablet and put your phone away – you
could even sell your DS or tablet and use the money to buy a more family-orientated
game on a console like the Wii or Kinect. This is perfect for ensuring
everybody is involved and is a more enjoyable way of getting your technology
fix while still remaining active.
Make time to get out
Though families
spend time together in the home, it often doesn’t feel like quality time
because it isn’t a break from the routine. Gather your troops and head to the
nearest restaurant or bowling alley; they’re often quite cheap, so are a great
way to treat yourselves while feeling like you’re making more of your time than
if you were sitting at home. Bowling in particular is ideal for families as
everybody can join in and you can bond by laughing together and encouraging
each other.
Get cooking
If you work all
day and only get home in time to eat and then put your children to bed, it can
often feel like you don’t get to see them as much as you’d like. A great way to
combat this is to involve them in the cooking process. That way you get to
spend more time with them, they are learning new skills and they will grow up
with memories of you cooking together. Baking is also a great way to spend the
weekend; not only do you enjoy some quality time together, but you get to eat your
sweet treats at the end of it!
Though modern
influences and lifestyle can make it difficult to spend time together, there
are definite changes that can be made to ensure that you are making the best of
your family time. One evening of quality time can create a lifelong memory –
that’s what being a family is all about!
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