Ways to Maximize Family Time

By Brianna Siciliano

Day by day we spend hours in traffic and in the company of co-workers, and sometimes it feels like we never get to spend any time with our family. We say ‘family comes first,’ but there is hardly any time in our busy days to spend with the most important people in our lives: our family. There are many ways to maximize family time, and here are a few!

A great way to spend more time together as a family is to cook as a team! Everyone needs to eat, and food needs to be prepared and cooked in order to eat. Well, preparing and cooking meals with your spouse and/or children might be a fun thing to do! Leave the chopping, knife skills, and appliance use to the adults, and allow the kids to help gather all the ingredients and (safe) tools necessary. While making your meals, everyone involved will be able to have conversations that would not be possible if everyone in your household were preoccupied by different activities. 

Another great way to spend more time together is by reserving a day in the week, preferably a day like a Sunday, for family time. Turn off the technology for at least a few hours and enjoy your day together. You’ll be able to catch up on everyone’s lives, interact in conversations, and make memorable memories. Family days do not have to be spent on the couch; they can be spent doing various activities. You might want to spend your family days by creating different crafts––and as each week comes by, your family can dedicate your valuable time and energy on a certain craft. 

It might also be fun to make family time active time! It is very important to get active and move your body, therefore bonding while exercising is a great way to pass time. Does someone in your family excel in a certain sport? Set aside time for everyone to come together and play that sport––for example, if your son loves basketball, gather up some family members and play a few games against one another. If no sports stand out to your family, go on walks together a few times a week. These walks can be anywhere, for example in the mall, at a local park, around your neighborhood, in a nearby city, or on a track (indoor or outdoor). While bonding as a family, you will get everyone’s heart pumping and blood flowing. 

Making a family bucket list could be beneficial for family time as well! Sit down with your spouse and children and list activities and goals that your family would love to participate in and achieve. While making this list, include realistic short-term and long-term goals, like for example going on vacation to a certain destination, going on a picnic and watching the sunset, or swimming with dolphins. After creating your bucket list as a team, start planning out ways to achieve your goals item by item.

No matter what you do throughout your days, make sure you spend some time with the people who matter most: your family. Every second counts, so spend your seconds wisely!