Family is important because it provides identity, security, trust, and it is the environment where values, habits, and customs are transmitted. The family is transcendental in the lives of all people because it is the main builder of memories.

It is at home where children learn to socialize and develop the emotional strength necessary to grow. However, this is a process that is achieved by interacting with them, affirming and building together valuable and meaningful memories.

For this reason, we must all spend time with ours, because over the years, it is the shared memories that allow us to establish an emotional bond that is so strong that it will endure over time and life situations. It does not have to elaborate, the events and discussions that make our families remember us. It is the little things like watching a movie together on home theatre systems or chatting over a meal that matters.

Spending quality time with the family is so important that we must put it on the agenda as a priority. Everyone at home should know that we will be together that day. By giving this priority, we are telling the rest of the family that they are very important to us.

Define the time you will spend with your family and give this commitment a high priority. Your family will value it.

How to spend quality time with family?

Take every moment you can to talk and share experiences: When you are in the car to school, when you wait for an appointment with the doctor, when you are doing things at home, or when we are sharing a meal together. The goal is to take advantage of every moment we have to communicate and be together. We do not have to wait to have full days or weeks, many times it is these everyday moments that make the difference.

Separate important dates on your agenda: Birthdays, anniversary, Valentine’s Day, graduations, sports or artistic presentations, because there are dates that are to be present and always remember them.

Schedule to make at least one of the family meals of the day: This allows us to meet, talk about what we are living and, at the same time, we connect with each other. Several studies have revealed that families who eat together have better levels of physical health, eat healthier and have better academic performance.

When you are with your family, focus on them: Observe their gestures, listen carefully, react to their comments and ask questions, which tell them that they are important to you.

Turn off the cell phones: It is crucial that in those family moments turn off the cell phone, or not answers calls. When your family observes this, they know that they occupy an important place in your life. Today we have many distracters that connect us with those who are far away, but they take us away from those who are close.

Promote family traditions: This allows them to create important memories. Have your family tradition of putting together the Christmas tree together. As the years pass, the most valuable memories are the events that became a family tradition. Therefore, the family must have traditions that unite them, have fun and help them build memories.

Look for hobbies to entertain yourself: For example, with board games. In our family we had several games with which we entertained ourselves on vacation, or when we were at home. Today our children have grown up and we remember those moments when we recreated together.

Each family has its style and personality, look for activities that represent them: For a family, watching a movie is excellent quality time; for another, it is to rake and tend to the garden together or go for a walk. If everyone at home is clear about what they like to do as a family, they will enjoy it more.

Schedule family vacations, and also have mini-vacations during the year: Family vacations should be a tradition, and it will be an advantage to schedule them on specific dates because it allows everyone to wait for them and define them in their agendas. Promote that the family participates in their planning and that everyone shares prior and vacation responsibilities.

The mini-vacations do not have to belong vacations, but long weekends where we go away from home to a place to rest because the idea is to change the routine and retire to spend family time.

When everyone is at home, spend special nights: Just to watch a movie where we are all in pajamas or sit in the room to put together a puzzle. Or, just lie on the bed to talk, take pictures, or make funny videos. It could also be that a family enjoys reading a good book together, or conversing while having coffee.

To spend quality time with our children, we must learn to live it freely and without guilt. For example, if we have to work outside the home and believe that this steals the time we can spend with our family, it will generate guilt or frustration.

We must learn to organize the time we have, without comparing ourselves and without feeling guilty. What we should do is try our best when we are with our family.

Understand your children: We must keep in mind that as our children grow, tastes and preferences will change. Therefore, do not be afraid of the transformations that may occur in family traditions as our children grow. Each family lives different stages and moments, and their tastes can evolve over time, so ask your children what they would like them to do together. Your answers might surprise you.

Each child is unique, and they have different ways of expressing and receiving love, so it is good that we spend time alone with each of them. One of your children might enjoy walking the dog with you; another, you could enjoy a dinner out, or accompany you to watch your favorite sport.

When we attend to our children in a particular way, we are reinforcing the bond we have and strengthening their self-esteem.

Invite your children’s friends to come home: it is something they will appreciate, and you will be able to know who your children’s friends are.

Inform your children when you have a lot of work: if you do it in advance and ask for their understanding they will support you and, at the same time, they will identify with your work.

Conclusion

Having strong and healthy family relationships allows us to be more productive in our work, perform better in everything we do and enjoy more the little details that life gives us.

Investing quality time in our family has benefits for all, helps us strengthen the bond we have, improves our communication, enhances the intellectual and emotional development of our children, and we feel benefited because it helps us reduce the level of stress.