unplugged + together
Happy Home Life Tip #9
Dedicate daily time together—unplugged and free of distractions.
Make this a time for sharing news, seeking advice, celebrating mini wins, practicing family values, laughing, feeling heard, bonding, and creating memories.
It’s easy to make “together time” with small children—perhaps during bedtime, bath time, or playtime.
But I can’t stress enough how important it is to continue creating “together time” with tweens & teens.
Tweens & teens need to count on a predictable, safe and secure place where it feels easy to be themselves, and seek guidance when needed.
If they don’t get this at home, they’ll find it elsewhere.
And of course, I heartily recommend planning daily “together time” with your partner!
Here are some ways our family practiced this over the years:
nightly family dinners
family hikes with the dogs
doing a plethora of Sunday home renovation projects
backyard bonfires
picking up my tween from school and doing a daily beach walk with him (and the dog) before we picked up his younger brother at elementary school (a nice time to connect with my introverted middle child)
Mom reading a chapter of Harry Potter out loud at the end of dinner (we read them as they were published, so this was a big deal!)
This may seem like a simple concept, but dedicating uninterrupted time together can be the difference between a family that stays closely connected and a family that drifts apart.
Our kids are grown but it’s a rare day that one doesn’t post a photo or bit of news on our family group text!
If this is a topic you’d like some help with, I’m here for you.
Creating close family bonds is rewarding and possible.
Hugs,
Krista
Photo: Our backyard bonfire with dear friends!