Spending regular time together is important for family wellness and so having a ‘family night’ on a weekly or even monthly basis could help you to take your commitment to your family to the next level. But how do you get going with it?
Firstly, when deciding the things to include in the evening, make sure that, first and foremost, every family member is included. Otherwise, the wellbeing of the whole family, as well as the individual not invited, will suffer. Choose a night, weekly, bi-weekly or monthly, that works for everyone and you can change it if you need to, as well as a comfortable place in your home or a fun location to visit once in a while to help keep family night fresh.
So what are you going to do for your family night? The vital component of family night wellness is fun, so find that your kids will enjoy, which can change depending on their age group. For toddlers, try singing and dancing, or games that include short instructions like Simon Says or Hide and Seek, or even a treasure hunt. When they’re six, and up until they’re 10, they might enjoy doing arts and crafts, or learning new skills like magic tricks, to spend time with you and to express themselves. When they’re a bit older, involve them in the planning the night before and get them to write down three to five activities, and choose one together or pick one out of the hat.
Finally, make sure you set aside conversation time. You can obviously talk during other activities, but it’s important that your kids have a time set out where they can and have to communicate with you. In the beginning, it might be advisable to find some fun conversation starters online, and you should also use this time to discuss important family decisions and celebrate any recent accomplishments made by family members. Remember, food is also a great thing to involve in proceedings, whether it’s a special treat or just having dinner together, and meal time can be the special time you choose to talk to one another and be together.
Comments are closed.