The Importance of Creating Family Memories
Strong families are built on love. However, love doesn’t just happen—you have to work at love. The day to day hustle and bustle can leave you short on time and zapped of energy, leaving little room to work at building the loving relationships in your family. But making memories is one way to help link hearts together.
Memories are powerful. Think back to your own childhood. Whether positive or negative (hopefully positive) you have some very defining memories that most likely bonded you and another family member or helped define who you are today.
I’m sure you want your children to be able to look back on their own childhood and recall all the special moments you had together. Here are some ideas to use to begin creating your own memories with your family:
· Pick a night each week for family night. When things return to “normal” it’s likely that we will get back into the routine of each going different directions with different activities and obligations. However, take the time to plan one night each week to focus on only family by eating dinner together, playing a game, or going on a walk.
· Have a family bedtime reading. You can use this time to all unwind from the day, relax, share something special that happened, and even pow wow about what is going on tomorrow.
· Go out to eat as a family once a month. If your schedules are too busy for a weekly family night then make it a priority to have a special meal out once a month with your family. You can make a rule to try a new place each time or pick everyone’s favorite place to enjoy.
· Have a family game night. We do this at the end of each month. We like to pick a meal we wouldn’t normally eat like appetizers or make your own sub and play games while we eat. Game night is a special time to bond. It’s a relaxed and fun environment for everyone to get comfortable. You might discover strengths you didn’t know your children had.
Here are a few of our favorite games:
· Schedule one-on-one dates with each child. This is a fun way for you to take interest in your child’s interests, but it also allows opportunities for them to connect with you more than they might in a group setting.
· Plan a special family vacation together. Let your children be a part of the planning process. Create special memories by only getting a certain snack on family vacations or allowing a new family member to pick the destination each year. Or even plan a camping trip in the backyard if going out of town isn’t in the budget.
· Make holidays unique. Start new traditions or re-create some of your favorites from your childhood.
This list is meant to get your creative juices flowing so that you can come up with fun ways to make memories with your family. You can use these ideas, change them to fit your family’s style, or make your own. Just make sure that you create memorable moments that your children will cherish and even share with their own children.
What family traditions do you have or want to create with your own family? Please comment below to share.
