American families spend roughly 37 minutes together per day. You know the story. You really want to carve out quality family time.
But, when you’re working all the time. Your life is hectic and you’re always exhausted. When can you possibly squeeze in time together?
You can either accept that you don’t see your family enough. Or, you can read our tips to learn how you can ensure that you enjoy family time more often.
Check out our guide below!
1. Turn off Your Smartphone at Home
Over one-third of parents admit that they may have an addiction to checking their smartphone. When you hear your phone buzz at home – do you rush to check your messages?
This can undermine any quality family time. You’re never actually in the moment. Your mind is constantly somewhere else.
When you get home from work, turn off your smartphone and put it away in the drawer.
This way if your boss contacts you, they can wait until the morning. This is the time to spend with your family and kids not thinking about tomorrow’s meetings.
2. Cook and Eat Dinner Together
Just under half of the American families surveyed eat dinner together fewer than three times per week.
Eating family meals is a great opportunity to spend time together. You have to eat anyway. Don’t spend it watching Netflix by yourself, but enjoy it around the table with your loved ones.
You can cook together too!
Let Dad do the chopping of the vegetables while Mum cooks the pasta. The kids can set the table ready to eat.
Working together as a team to do chores around the house is a fun way to spend time with each other.
3. Workout as a Family
Around three-quarters of Americans don’t exercise enough. What’s your excuse?
It can be difficult to find the time to workout by yourself. Getting the motivation to put on your sneakers and go for a run is hard.
But, what if exercise was also family time. If you have a big family, you could already be prepared for a team sport.
Go to the park to play games together, shoot some hoops or kick a ball around. It doesn’t matter what you do as long as you’re on the move with your loved ones.
4. Family Movie Night
When you get home from a busy day at work, it could be that all you can manage to do is sit in front of the television.
The good news is that this can also be family time. Plan a family movie night together with popcorn and candy to celebrate.
You could either take it in turns to choose a movie to watch. Sure, Dad may enjoy action comedies, it’s your daughter’s turn and she wants a romance.
It’s fun sharing things together. By watching the same movies, you can talk about and remember them together.
5. Having a Chat in the Kitchen
Family time doesn’t need to be a huge event. Sometimes, simply chatting about your day in the kitchen is enough.
Making conversations with your kids is easy.
Just ask your kids – how school was today? Have they recently visited the dentist – ask how they are finding wearing a retainer?
Even if you can’t find the time to spend together, staying in the loop with your children’s lives is important.
6. Family Board Games Night
Board games can be an excellent way to bond together. There are so many games which are age-appropriate for young children but still fun.
Grab the Monopoly to discover who is the future business person, or teach your kids the ancient art of chess.
It doesn’t really matter who wins in the board games. Just that you’re spending time together and enjoying it. Nevertheless, there’s always the one who’s very competitive.
7. Stay in Touch With a Family Group
Have you already set up a family messaging group? If you haven’t already, you need to do this!
This allows you to stay in touch every day without any problems. Share your day together with selfie snaps and funny GIFs.
You can make your kids laugh while you’re at work. They can also share their college activities or summer vacations with you.
8. Do DIY Together
Do you have a shelf which needs putting up on the wall? Is that drawer squeaking when you open it?
There are always DIY tasks to do around the home. But, instead of struggling away by yourself, this is another chance for family time.
Get your kids to hand you the tools you need when you’re fixing something. They’ll learn about the different items in your toolbox and you get an assistant.
9. Make it a Date
When you’re busy all the time, it’s difficult to make time for your family. And yet, when you get an event on the calendar, you can’t go back anymore.
If you’re the type of person to keeps a diary, then make sure your quality family time is arranged each month.
It doesn’t really matter what you do together. You can go to the cinema, go bowling or go out to a diner. Family time is what matters!
10. Get Home in Time for Bedtime Story
Fewer children are reading for pleasure than they were before. Reading as a child is really important for learning and development.
How can you convince your child about the importance of reading? Reading bedtime stories to them from a young age can help a lot.
Let them pick which book to read. Making a nightly routine on sitting on the edge of their bed and reading aloud to them is a great way to spend time with your kids.
How to Add More Family Time?
Do you worry that you don’t spend enough time as a family? Nothing is more important than family time.
Our tips will help you to add more family time to your schedule. From arranging family game boards nights and turning off your phone, you’ll have more fun together.
If you want to more parenting and family tips, you can read many more blog post like this one on our website.
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