Activities that Promote Family Bonding
Do you plan family activities? Family’s tend to have one person who is in charge of planning the activities. They step in and set the agenda. The problem with this is, the people who are participating may feel like they’re a part of a boot camp or a school activity, not a family activity. Treating an activity this way lacks the intimacy of creating a bond.
Sometimes, the person in charge may think, “I’m going to plan it all because I would love someone to plan it for me.” But, that doesn’t necessarily mean everyone else wants to do that.
Find a compromise.
A way to ensure you’re all on the same page is to have a family meeting. Get the ideas out there, and let everyone contribute, even insist everyone contributes. That way, nobody feels left out or like they are following someone else’s plan. It is always best to come up with a compromise where everyone can agree.
It doesn’t have to be something physical!
A family activity doesn’t have to be something physical, big, or expensive. Family bonding time can be as simple as sitting on the couch together or sitting in the sun together. It can be working on a puzzle, reading a book, magazine, or the newspaper together. The activity doesn’t have to be constant motion or interaction. You can do these activities alone but together, and it gives you something to talk about and share. The activity can be more relaxed; it doesn’t have to be all planned out.
Try to get everyone involved.
Try to get everyone involved in the planning and execution part of the activity. There are people in families who tend to be the doers and the ones who follow along.
In my family, I tend to be the doer. I was shocked when my oldest son and daughter-in-law stopped me and mentioned they’d like to help out with the planning. I didn’t realize I was doing all of the planning, but I sure was. Now, we have a family document where we all share ideas, contribute, and execute together.
Keep in mind, if you’re a planner, you may want to step back, and if you are someone who tends to follow along, you may want to contribute to the activity.
When everyone contributes, the activity is usually more successful and creates successful family bonding activities.
Do you have any questions? Or is there something you need help with? If so, call 757-340-8800, for a free consultation.
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