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 Family Time:
Make the Most of It in the New Year!
Busyness is a source of pride for many adults in today's fast-paced society, and judging from some recent statistics, kids are following in their parents' footsteps. Children today have an average of 12 fewer hours a week of free time than they did in 1981.* That translates to twice as much time participating in structured sports and 50% more time doing homework.*
But an increasing body of research indicates that busyness may be getting in the way of family time – with disastrous results. While spending quality time with family helps promote academic success, psychological adjustment, good nutritional habits and general well-being, the lack of it may have the opposite effect. Teachers report more signs of stress and exhaustion in young students, and the American Academy of Pediatrics has sounded alarms about the apparent connection between students' extensive extracurricular commitments and the rising number of athletic injuries.
Quality as Much as Quantity
To incorporate more family time into your life, consider scheduling it like you would a meeting – mark one night a week on your calendar and postpone it only if absolutely necessary. Turn off the phone, television and computer, and give your family your undivided attention. Then consider following these tips for creating the most valuable family time possible.
Start with a family meeting. Ask each attendee what kind of family life they want, and how you can achieve that ideal. Inquire about their current activities – do they enjoy them? Are there other activities they would like to try? Or would they like more time to pursue activities on their own time? Make sure each family member feels they have a comfortable balance between school, work, family time, structured pastimes and free time.
Give everyone a say in how you spend your time together. Recruit family members to help plan activities, whether it's making dinner, watching a movie, playing games or just talking. But be careful not to over-schedule your family time – it's important to remain flexible and embrace spontaneity.
Share meals. Eating dinner together is less about the meal, and more about connecting. It's a chance to listen and talk to your loved ones about the day's happenings, ask each other about highs and lows and anything else they believe is important.
Allocate responsibilities. Turn household chores into family time by requiring everyone to participate. Play music you can sing along to while everyone cleans his or her room or ask each family member to contribute to the evening meal.
Insist on balance. Encourage your children to follow their interests, whether it's sports, art, music or academics, but make sure time spent on structured activities does not take precedence over time spent connecting with family. Busyness can't replace the rejuvenation and contentment that comes from spending quality time with family.
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