More & more studies show the benefits of family night. With our busy family of 6, it is so easy to get stuck in our daily routine, but knowing how important these times are with our kids... we make the time.
I love a good routine, don't get me wrong, but sometimes family life gets to be more like an assembly line than the fun, loving, and exciting life we all know it can be. To help out keeping that fun and joy alive with our kids, we prioritize adding in a planned family night at least a few times per month!
What do studies say about family nights?
"Researchers have been studying the effects parent attitudes and actions have on their children's academic success for more than 30 years. The results have been consistent. Anne Henderson and Nancy Berla summed it up in their book A New Generation of Evidence: The Family Is Critical to Student Achievement, which reviewed the existing research: "When parents are involved in their children's education at home, they do better in school. And when parents are involved in school, children go farther in school and the schools they go to are better." – PTO Today.
Tips to Remember for Family Night
There are times where parents just want to spend time with their kids without having worry about their jobs or any other problems, and even get away from the (sometimes boring) daily to weekly activities that occur constantly.
- Family nights bring you closer to your kids and even other members of the family!
- It is a great way to share ideas with each other as well as teach your kiddos some great interpersonal skills.
- Being able to bond with one another opens up new doorways to a better and happier family.
- Remember, these family nights don't have to be extravagant. It can be simple.
Ideas for Family Night
Movie Night:
It can be at home or it can be away, just as long as you are together. Instead of spending over $50 dollars on a trip to the movie theatre, having a movie night at your home are good ways to be creative and give you some relief of worrying about a "budget".
Check out a new movie on Netflix, grab a new release from Redbox, or even pull out one of those old DVDs that are collecting dust on a shelf (I know I could watch The Lion King over…and over…and over again). Pop some popcorn (or other fun special snacks!) and snuggle up on the couch with your kids.
Family movie nights bring out laughter, joy, and something for the kids to participate in making a stronger connection to their parents.
Game Night with just you:
Games nights can be another great way to spend your time together. Games can teach your children about the fundamentals of sharing, winning, and losing. It can teach them how to be more social with other kids and put a big smile on their face. Be sure to pick a game that is age appropriate for even the youngest ones.
Note: Be sure all of the family members enjoy the game while playing. An example might be Candy Land. Most people know how to play and the kids love it. It's easy.
Game Night with relatives:
Make game night extra special by having special guests! Invite grandma and grandpa, aunts and uncles, all kinds of family members! Like I mentioned before, these nights are to bring loved ones together.
Putting together a family night is one of the best ways to go to bed knowing you've done something good for your family. They are easy to do and bring out tons of memories.
Walk Down Memory Lane:
Make family nights extra special by documenting it! Look through it often. We like to have a family night where we pull out baby albums and look through them. If you invite relatives over, be sure to have them bring over cards or photo albums to extend the night's enjoyment with past moments, and more than you can put into the photo album afterward.
Keep It Up:
Remember to keep up with family nights. After a couple of weeks of family night, it will turn into a habit and be the best day of the week knowing you can be in a house full of happy faces surrounding a table with games, or even sitting in the living room watching the kid's favorite movie.
Nothing is better than a night surrounded by the ones you love! Check out more ideas on our Facebook Page
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