Staying Connected as a Family

It's 8:00 PM.  Mom is sitting on the sofa, reading her Kindle.  Dad is on his iPad playing with a newly downloaded app.  One kid is in his bedroom texting with friends from school, and the other kid is watching TV-essentially alone.

Does that sound like a weeknight at your house?  If so, you may be among a growing statistic. Many families are having a hard time staying connected with each other in this high-tech world we now live in.  I don't believe technology is the enemy, but time management and identifying priorities may be.

How do you stay connected as a family living in the 21st century?

Here are a few activities you can do with your family to stay connected:

1. Eat Dinner Together - sharing a meal and sharing each others day is a very powerful activity. 
2. Family Walk or Bike Ride - kids don't get enough physical activity and the time it takes to walk a block can provide important connection time with your child.
3. Family Night - Put each family member's name in a bowl and at the beginning of the week pull a name.  That person selects what to do on family night.  This allows everyone's interest to be shared by the family and the family learns more about each other.
4. Make A Date with Your Child - Once a month make a date with each child.  That date can be a one on one walk, movie, lunch or even errands.  Each child is an individual and it is important to appreciate them this way.

Volunteer Together - this helps families stay connected, realize the value of service to others.