Comments on: Reasons to Create Family Time Traditions (+ Ideas)

By: Beth Learn

Beth Learn — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 19:27:48 +0000

Connecting with loved ones is a message that resonates deeply.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Sun, 28 Apr 2019 16:33:26 +0000

Family game night!! :OD First off, my MIL has MADE time for our kids from day one. When they got a little older and would go to spend the night, it was every other Friday. (date night for mom and dad!) At some point, like you, I realized the kids were getting older and things were going to be different soon. (we have a son, about to turn 18, and a daughter, she just turned 15) So I had the idea for our “Family Game Night” on the Fridays that they didn’t didn’t spend with their grandma. (this was several years ago) And our kids LOVED it! Each Friday we took turns in planning the game night, it was really fun to see what each of us had planned. We made up our own version of “Name that tune” and lots of quiz show games too! Sometimes we would color and just sit and talk. We always had a few different games planned for the evening. We always made cookies and usually ended the night with a favorite movie. Then my son started working (summer jobs) and the nights with grandma and family game nights were harder to plan. We still try to get in a game night, no matter what night it is, we still enjoy it too.
Of course we spend time with the kids other than game night….lol…..we go camping (we have a camper) and that is ALWAYS fun! We have had our camper just 2 years now and we have been out I think like 14 times? We enjoy going in the winter mostly. It’s just time well spent as a family. Talking around the fire, late nights, hiking, and I can’t even begin to tell you about the crazy pictures my son and husband love doing after dark! LOL They have taken some really neat pictures using light tricks and fire sticks in the dark…. my son loves those times the most.
Our son is about to graduate (we have home schooled our kids) and he just started at a new job, a part time position that will be full time once he turns 18. He always talks about the kids he will have someday and wanting to home school and have family game night and go camping too. And that makes you feel good! My daughter, says she is never having kids. LOL Too much work she says. ;o)
Have a wonderful day!!
Michelle

By: Daryl Holiday

Daryl Holiday — Thu, 10 Jan 2019 15:51:55 +0000

“Cinnamon”? I just threw out my first batch after remembering this… It’s the “Cinnamon” from your recipe. Most all of the so called “Cinnamon” used in the US is not true cinnamon, but is ground up or whole stick Cassia bark from (thanks again to South China growers and our MAGA govt lobbyists and the great FDA) that contains CoumaRin, which is toxic to human livers. It can kill rats rather effectively. Check it out, read all about the toxicity and opinions from Europeans and others here:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coumarin
Google your brains out…True Ceylon cinnamon is safe, not Cassia. For that and other matters, our country is allowing millions of tons of Roundup (glyphosates) and neonicantinoids, on our lawns, soybeans and corn AND other crops, and it causes our 20,000 species of bees serious harm, colony collapse. These chemicals are not allowed in Europe.
The Russians will buy our wheat only if it has not been sprayed with glyphosates. Corn syrup and soybeans are in almost everything on your grocery shelves.
I will never, ever, have a cinnamon roll again.
Always trust those in power, especially now.

By: Lisa

Lisa — Thu, 08 Mar 2018 19:15:43 +0000

What a nice article- thank you!
I have a few family favorites to share for when anyone declares “family game night”. Most of them are just improvised games. The real point is spending time together and creating memories, which beats out everything else on the to do list! I have a 9 year old daughter who is full of energy.
Hide and seek type games- there are lots of opportunities to be creative here- our last hide and seek game included wearing small head lamps and playing in the dark.
Riddle me- we take and object and hide it, then have to make up a riddle for the other person to solve to figure out where the object is. That one keeps the brain sharp!
Secret Agent- the guard puts a “prize” in a specific place, then walks all over the house in a specific pattern. The other person has to learn the pattern and sneak around the guard to get to the prize without being seen!
Have fun creating new family traditions!

By: Jennie

Jennie — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 11:32:13 +0000

I was just spending time with my friend’s two step-daughters, and they really bonded with me in just one day because I actually spent time with them and asked them questions about their life.
I think many parents forget how important just listening and being interested is. All you have to do is make your kids feel like they’re really important and be interested in their lives.
A great way to bond is by learning together too…

By: Emily

Emily — Fri, 29 Dec 2017 22:48:03 +0000

By: Randi Tatsch

Randi Tatsch — Wed, 21 Jun 2017 14:33:50 +0000

Love these ideas! Perfect for summertime too. Have you read the 5 Love Languages? I feel loved when I have quality time with my family so this works perfectly for me!

By: Ariella Corey

Ariella Corey — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 01:53:34 +0000

I totally agree , family time is so important and is something that people lack so much nowadays.It is something that is so precious?

By: Estelle

Estelle — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 21:31:09 +0000

I loved your post about family time. We actually as religious Jews do a 24 hour tech free day every week! It starts sundown friday evening and ends saturday sundown. We have 3 family meals friday night saturday lunch and saturday evening. There’s no phonecalls texting emailing business work etc. The men pray the kids play and the mummies just try and keep everyone happy and enjoy themselves as well! This is the day the kids get the most cuddles, one on one attention and quality play time developing their imaginations etc. I definitely would not be able to focus on them as much without being tech free! Can I suggest that each mother can do her own version of a tech free day to be able to focus better on her children? Try it hope you enjoy! It’s also so healthy to escape for a bit the constant stress that phonecalls texting emailing inevitably gives us!

By: tisha

tisha — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 16:56:15 +0000

Right now our main family time is during dinner. All phones and electronics are off. We all chat about our day. We are working to bring in more family based activities, especially with it being spring.

By: Niti S.

Niti S. — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 14:27:51 +0000

So true! Family traditions r so precious. I really like your tradition of reading together. Am gonna take ur idea on that!
Our holiday tradition is watching baby videos together now that my babies r teens! Try that. It is amazing!

By: Cindy

Cindy — Mon, 17 Apr 2017 21:24:56 +0000

We lived about 20 mi from the beach. When our family went to the beach it looked like we were moving – but we had everything we needed for a wonderful day – and a major expense where is the gas and parking. Picnics and hikes in the mountains – in the desert – those are fun too! Treasure hunts and lip synch silly stuff…. So many opportunities to have fun together. (Fishing was usually part of camping – and, yes, we all learned how to fish and fly cast.) Campfires and singing make great memories! Our family fun and love has been shared.

By: Annette Salda

Annette Salda — Mon, 17 Apr 2017 03:22:28 +0000

Random beach days are the best! No planning or headache, just a pit stop to the beach in our clothes, shoes off and hang out for an hour or so.

By: Maribeth Alexander

Maribeth Alexander — Sun, 16 Apr 2017 13:28:03 +0000

I love this! I’m such a proponent of family traditions, and your post gives so many ideas I never thought of. I’m now a grandmother thinking of ways to make traditions with my grandchildren:)

By: Donna

Donna — Sun, 16 Apr 2017 12:45:40 +0000

It is wonderful that you made family time with your kids growing up. Family is special and they grow up way to fast and everyone is so busy it will go by before you know it. I love the music idea. Kids need to know the joys of music today and yesterdays too. Such a great idea. You sound like a wonderful mom. Spend special time with your husband too. Couples time is important also.

By: Cindy

Cindy — Sat, 15 Apr 2017 18:56:11 +0000

It is inspiring to learn that you and your family are engaging in the same family fun that we had. There were two additional activities that we loved: sometimes in the evening, we would just sit and talk (for example) – we would go on flights of fantasy about what we would invent if we had unlimited resources, or we would just talk about whatever and a little later try to track back to where we started the conversation. It was great fun! We also had multiple family camping trips. One favorite activity of a friend’s family was for the children to make up a play or musical performance and the parents would be invited to sit and watch. (They always applauded.) Looking forward to reading these posts. We know that family that works together and plays together (and prays together) stays together. Thanks, Katie.