How quickly the school year has come and gone. It’s been eight months (although it seems like just yesterday) that my husband and I helped our youngest twins pack their bags to begin their first year of college. It’s now summer which means – they’re back!
With our large family of seven, I remember longing for school to end so that we could slow the pace down from the hustle and bustle of their responsibilities and activities. The summer gave us opportunities to shift gears and incorporate more family time with the purpose of reconnecting again.
How can you make these summer months become a more enjoyable and rewarding experience? Here are some basic steps to get you on your way:
- Prioritize your Marriage. Some parents spend all of their emotional energy on their children and neglect time with their partner. Prioritizing time weekly with one another is critical to keeping your partnership strong. A loving and respectful partnership provides a solid foundation for the entire family.
- Be Role Models for your Children. You are your children’s greatest role models. Your acts of kindness, consideration and respect for one another sets the example for children. They watch how you talk with each other, how you work through disagreements and how you handle rejection or disappointment. “The best gift a father can give his children is to love their mother.” Sons learn how to treat women by watching how dad treats mom, and daughters see how they can expect to be treated. Your daughters will look for someone like you to marry. Remember, in these summer months they spend more time at home watching and observing their parents.
- Create Rituals of Connection. Rituals such as taking evening walks together, having dinners outside on the patio or doing simple routine events together like washing cars on a Saturday morning make wonderful memories. Be sure to include at least one sit-down meal together each week when the family can be together.
- Share Household Responsibilities. Clean up time can be bonding when everyone is doing it together. As our Italian Nana always said, “many hands make light work.” Sharing in the household chores gives children the sense of belonging and responsibility. It teaches them how to budget time, be creative, resourceful, fosters a sense of accomplishment and gratitude toward one another.
- Make Down Time – Quality Time. Be aware of opportunities for connecting. With an atmosphere of acceptance, openness, curiosity, and lightness, children will be able to talk about their thoughts, feelings, hopes and dreams.
These suggestions will help to restore unity and harmony in your marriage and family that can be lost by distance and our consuming work and social schedules. Take a break and enjoy this special time to “relax” and enjoy each other in your lives.
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