Most of us are busier than ever, with work, school, social activities, and a growing to-do list. Sometimes this can mean important activities such as quality family time can be neglected and pushed to the back of the agenda.
However, the benefits of spending time as a family are hard to ignore, which is why it’s crucial to make the time as often as you can. Not only can it have a positive effect on your child’s mental health but make a real difference in their general well-being and academic performance. Here are just a few more benefits to consider.
Why is Family Important?
It might seem like a question with an obvious answer but have you ever really sat and thought about why family is important? Family is everything when it comes to parenting. It’s a solid foundation upon which our lives are built. From childhood and throughout our lives, family members shape and guide us through life’s ups and downs, offering support when it’s needed.
When we have a strong family unit, we can lean on one another for support and find comfort in each other. Those shared moments of laughter, joy, tears and milestones create bonds to last a lifetime. The more ways you can find to spend time together, the more enriching your family life will be and the more cherished your children will feel.
Bonding Time
Spending quality family time together provides an excellent opportunity for everybody to bond.
Whether this is partaking in everyday activities or going on holiday, creating warm memories is so valuable for your kids. In fact, strong child-parent bonds are only formed through consistent communication and meaningful time spent together.
Happier Kids
Even though the entire family benefits from being together, it can have really a positive effect on your kids’ general well-being and happiness. Just remember, it’s the quality of interactions, not the quantity that really counts.
Making small changes when spending time as a unit can make all the difference. For example, putting aside distractions and listening to each other can help make everyone feel loved and appreciated. Something simple such as finding a hobby you can all do together can make such a difference to the family dynamic.
Builds Self-Esteem
When children feel as though they’re valued by their parents and spend time together often, it helps build up a positive sense of self-worth. This self-esteem often translates across to their social and school lives.
Even better, family time doesn’t have to be expensive – activities such as going for a walk or a bike ride hold just as much worth. The important part is spending time together and enjoying each other’s company.
Improved Mental Health
The importance of family time on your kids’ mental health is significant. Children who feel engaged and connected in their family dynamic are more likely to be sociable, perform better in school and have fewer behavioural issues. In fact, recent studies have even shown that teens who have infrequent family dinners are twice as likely to use tobacco and alcohol.
Ideas on How to Maximise Family Time
In today’s fast-paced world, finding quality time to spend with family members can be a challenge, to say the least. However, realising the importance of spending quality time with family will help you to do all you can to nurture family connections and build strong bonds.
It’s important that everybody makes an effort. While it might be tricky to convince tweens and teens to get off of their phones or out of their rooms, it will always be worth the effort. To help you find ways to build more laughter, learning, and long-lasting memories into your family life, we’ve put together some ideas on how to spend time with your family. From the creative to the adventurous, we’ve got something to suit everybody.
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Have a family game night with board games or card games.
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Go for a hike or a nature walk together.
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Cook or bake a meal as a family, involving everyone in the process.
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Plan a movie night with popcorn and blankets for a cosy experience.
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Book an escape room experience, either at a venue or online.
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Buy your children a gift experience and plan a day out for the whole family around it.
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Take turns reading a book aloud as a family, either a chapter each night or during a designated reading time.
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Plan a day of geocaching in your local town or city.
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Engage in a DIY craft project or start a family scrapbook to capture memories.
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Volunteer as a family at a local charity or community event, helping others while spending quality time together.
From Our Family to Yours
At Tutor Doctor, we’re like one big happy family, sharing the same values and goals. One of those goals is to help solve the learning challenges that might make your child feel isolated or lose confidence in their abilities. We work with amazing families like yours every day, bridging learning gaps and teaching a broad spectrum of subjects.
While it’s important to find quality time to spend together as a family, it’s also very beneficial to arrange quality tutoring sessions for your children when they need extra help. We’d be delighted to tell you more. Find a local tutor today to get started.
