Families can learn to listen to, trust, and understand one another as well as develop acceptable behaviours by spending a few minutes together after everyone has returned home from school or work, whether for supper or a planned family “meeting.” According to familyfacts.org, teenagers who interact and spend more time with their families typically display lower levels of hostility and antisocial behaviour than peers who have less involved parents. Violence, delinquent behaviour, substance misuse, and tobacco use have all been shown to decline in families with stronger bonds. Spending time together and communicating with one another might lessen urges to engage in dangerous behaviour as well as feelings of anger or anxiety. Making memories that will last a lifetime is one of the most significant advantages of spending time together, and it’s also one of the simplest. Positive memories are prized treasures that provide family members a sense of belonging and can aid in reinforcing the value of family, whether they involve playing games together, going to events or on vacation together, or simply spending time around the living room or the dinner table talking and laughing. There isn’t much downtime when managing the demands of a whole family’s schedules for school, sports, activities, and occupations, but maintaining family values may be simpler than you think when you commit to setting out special times for each other. Shut off your digital devices.
