How to have family time
Summertime may be my favorite family time – we can eat meals on the porch, stay up a little later watching movies, swim in the pool together, and adventure with some of the white space on the calendar. But nobody told me having two teenagers working jobs this summer was going to cut into my family time. I should have seen it coming; I just didn’t.
Even so, I’m here for some family time whenever I can get it – so let’s do it right! We do things like go to sporting events or out to dinner together fairly often, but what I really love is family time at home!
Create a cozy place
I love our big couch that allows everyone to have a couple of cushions to themselves, but I do also love it when my kids (well, at least two of them …) want to sit close and snuggle too. Do whatever you prefer to make it cozy: right lighting, soft blankets, and similar steps.
Of course, momma wants all the things – shoes, socks, trash, plates, cups – picked up and put away before I can totally relax. But it’s also not going to be perfect, and that’s okay! One night this week, my family of five ate dinner together around the patio table. There was some bickering, multiple doses of sarcasm, and plenty of eye rolls, but we were all sharing a meal together for the first time in a while. Simultaneously, I was grateful and overstimulated – essentially the two feelings on which I keep landing in this summer season with teenagers.
Play games
Games are always a nice way to have a great family night. We go through phases with our favorites, but here and here are some of the ones we’ve enjoyed. Yes, I know there are so many options, from Spider Solitaire to board games.
We tend to play more games and watch more TV shows together in the winter, when the days are shorter and the temperatures colder.
Have snacks
Snacks are always the way to my kids’ hearts – regardless of their ages. Buying your family’s favorite snacks at Walmart – or even better, having them delivered to your front porch – is a good step toward family time at home. If you want to put in extra effort, then it could be worth making a few snacks yourself.
Sweet spots
Summer is a time for freedom and Popsicles and turning off the alarm and reading by the pool and figuring out dinner on a whim and impromptu social plans. But it can always be a sweet spot of family time. Perhaps ignoring the dishes and laundry is the best way to start. (Preaching to myself here!) And sometimes family time happens on the go – after church, between practices, after a ballgame, or when a kid needs to be picked up.
Family time looks different in different seasons, but these kids grow up quickly – so let’s make the most of our time together whether it’s at home or wherever else.