It always seems like there is not enough time in the day for us as a busy family, with school and work and everything else. There are some days where I look back on the day and wish that I had done things differently and spent more time with the people I care most about.
Maybe you have had some of the same thoughts and regrets, and I want to share with you a few things that I do to make sure that I get more time with my family. I hope this helps you to grow stronger bonds and create lasting memories.
Plan Activities
It’s smart to plan specific activities to do during the week, because as many of us know, we often only do what we plan to do. Family time doesn’t always happen naturally. Many times, it needs to be scheduled in.
If we don’t plan any activities as a family, there is a tendency for everyone to get on their devices or do their own thing and spend the day alone and apart. Sometimes, you need those restful times, but on other days, you will feel bad that you don’t get more family time in. So, plan a park outing, a meal together, a board game night, or some other activity that you can fit into your schedule. You will make a memory that may stick with you if you do.
Hire Cleaners
There is always cleaning to be done- at work and at home. I recommend that families use professional cleaning services every so often so that they not only get a better cleaning on their property but also get more time with their family. How much time do we spend cleaning floors, dusting, scrubbing things down, and everything else? It’s a lot, and it adds up and detracts from our time with our families.
So, if you have a business that needs cleaning, and that keeps you back from coming home and being with your family, I would say you should consider using janitorial services periodically and get some help. For homeowners, hiring professional residential cleaning is a good choice for those busy weeks where there is just not enough time to take time apart with the family. I think this is a great way to carve some extra time out in the schedule and get more time with the people you really care about.
Keep Kids Focused on Schoolwork
If your kids are anything like my kids, they will get distracted easily, and a school project or writing assignment that should take just thirty minutes somehow drags out all night long. How does this happen? They just lose their focus and go wander away from the table and their work or go find a screen to turn on or just daydream.
I find that it helps them a lot for me to just be present with them while they work. That way, they are less likely to wander away or do something they shouldn’t that will make them lose focus. They can also ask me questions if they have any, and they can get done faster.
It is amazing how much quicker homework gets done when an adult is sitting nearby. The kids stay focused more easily and just plow through it rather than dragging it out. That gives them more opportunity to spend time as a family and less time spent sitting at a table doing homework.
Have Individual Time Together
Everyone in the family can do their own thing in the same space and still be kind of together as a family. Here is how that might work. Let’s say that the kids feel like being on their devices, and I feel like reading, and my spouse feels like working on a craft. We could all do the same room, close to one another, but engaged in our own things.
As we are all entertaining ourselves busy with our own entertainments, we can talk to each other a bit, interacting with one another. This is a kind of family time, even though everyone is not completely engaged with one another the entire time. There is still bonding happening here, and this is kind of quality time that I do cherish, and you might too if you just pull everyone together into the same space.
You just have to accommodate the person who can’t be moved from their spot to make this work, if there is one like that. There may be specific stations or tables where certain activities always happen in the house, and you just want to arrange enough seating in those areas so everyone can be present there while those stations are being used. For instance, if you have a table just for homework, you can set up a couch and a couple chairs nearby in the same general space so that when one child is doing homework, the rest of the family can be nearby doing something quiet, and a few family interactions can take place.
Limit Device Usage
If you are going to get much family time in, you have to control how much time people are spending on their devices. Some of the family members will tend to just open up their phones or tablets or laptops throughout the day and separate themselves from the rest of the family for hours at a time. If you have a cut off time for devices though, then you can use that end of the day period for family time.
We have found that it makes a big difference when we have everyone put their devices away by 7pm. The kids still have a little time before bed, and we can use that time productively, as a family in quality time together. This is ideal for us, and other families may need to try something different that works for them, but there is value in limiting the usage of electronic devices.
Disclosure: This is a featured post.