Give Your Family the Gift of Your Time—That’s Really What It’s All About!

Well, the vacation and down time are over and it’s time to get back to my love of sharing ideas of what I think could help families grow stronger.

I may repeat some ideas on a regular basis and that’s because I think we all need reminders—a shot in the arm—a pick-me-up. Hey, we need to read our scriptures daily and go to church to get reminders, don’t we? And I know from experience that I may have read a scripture a hundred times and then, all of a sudden one day, I may get a totally different insight to the scripture’s message. We’ve all experienced this I’m sure. So, here are a few reminders:

1) Always put your family first (and that includes your spouse). 2) Have Family Home Evening weekly. This is a must. 3) Eat together as a family at least once a day. Be prepared with questions to stimulate positive conversation. 4) Spend time individually with each family member on a regular basis. Be creative—have dates. 5) Support one another with hobbies and interests. Go to recitals, sporting events, classes or lessons. Share in one another’s interests. 6) Work together then play together. 7) Keep communication open and friendly. Be available to talk with your children at bedtime or whenever opportunities surface. 8) Avoid built-in babysitters—T.V., computers, electronic games. These are “black holes” that valuable time gets lost in. 9) Plan excursions. Everyone gets excited when they have something to look forward to. 10) Find things that you family can enjoy together such a reading, camping, sporting events, arts and crafts, cooking, art, bicycling and do them together. 11) Never forget to pray together and study scriptures together. 12) Have the rule that everyone goes to church every week and shares (upon the return home) something that they learned or enjoyed at church.