Summer is the
perfect time to reconnect with your family and strengthen your relationships
with each other. Here are four simple things you can do with your children
this summer to strengthen your bonds and grow closer together.
Eat Together
Dr. Jeff Pariazle, Director of Tucson's InStep Ministries, said that most families do not eat together today because they are too busy. "Why not cut back on a few activities and spend some unstructured time with your children," Pariazle advises. "Start by planning some stay at home dinners together. No agenda, just family talk."
Dinner is the
perfect time to turn off the TV, sit together at the table, and talk about
the happenings of the day.
Play Together
Healthy families spend time playing together, according to Dr. Pariazle. They do activities such as playing games, riding bikes or walking the dog. "They also have family fun weekends or trips where they do such things as camping, fishing, or hiking," said Pariazle.
Elizabeth Hinton, mother of three small children, said her family plays games and sings together. "One of my greatest joys as a mom is being able to see my family laugh and have fun together. Laughing together strengthens our bond as a family," she said.
Take time this summer to play. Have a friendly water balloon fight with your kids, play games, or do silly things to make each other laugh.
Pray Together
Mother Teresa once said that the family that prays together stays together. When a family prays together, they can each say what they would like prayer for. Maybe your child is concerned about the health of grandma or your child is upset about something a friend said. Praying has a double benefit: It helps you care for your children as you understand the things that concern them, and it allows you to ask God for help.
"Praying together as a family makes our spiritual journey real," said Jeff Love, Pastor of Alive Church. "It is important that children hear their parents pray. It gives them insight into mom and dad's spiritual journey and helps make the Christian life real to them."
Before bedtime,
gather your children together and say, "Alright kids, tonight we're
going to pray together. What would you like us to pray about?" And
then pray!
Encourage Each Other
Words have power. They can make or break your child.
"When children are told something about themselves by a parent, more often than not they believe it," said Pastor Love. "What they begin to believe they become. Feelings become thoughts, thoughts lead to actions. We speak either words of life or death to those around us."
Practice speaking words of life to your children by praising them as often as you can. When they do things right, applaud them for it. When they are having difficulty with something, encourage them by letting them know they can do it!
These four things - eating together, playing, praying, and encouraging one another - can make a huge difference in any family. The key ingredient is to be intentional about the time you spend together.
"Healthy families make time to spend together," said Dr. Pariazle. "The benefits are family closeness and healthy intimacy."
© 2008 Good News Tucson™
