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With all the pressures of everyday living, finding time to spend with your significant other can be difficult. Most of us struggle to find time for our families, friends, and ourselves. This can lead to feelings of guilt, stress, and burnout. Spending quality time with our family is vital in order for us to build and maintain meaningful relationships. However, you can find a balance between work and home. And, yes, this includes stay-home parents. So, let’s explore 15 fun ways to make time for your family!

Share Chores

Start a Family Garden Together

Sweet DIY Sundae Sunday

Create a Family Blog or Vlog

Family Weekend Getaway

Themed Movie Nights

Volunteer Together

Dine Together

Adjust Your Time

Family Photo Scavenger Hunt

Trip Down Memory Lane

Family Picture Days

Tech-Free Time

Family Game Night Extravaganza

Create a Family Time Capsule

Share Chores

This one may sound a little crazy, but it actually works. One of the number one ways to make time for you family is to share chores with your spouse and your kids. When you get home from work, don’t just head straight for the couch or for that pile of dishes sitting in the sink. Instead, turn the time you spend doing chores into “together time”. Wash dishes together (or load the dishwasher together). Fix dinner together. Do the laundry together.

If you are doing chores with your partner, be sure that you incorporate touch. Touch each other while you are doing those mundane chores. No, this does not mean sexual touching. What I mean is simply touch each other. Rub his or her shoulders. Touch his/her hands. Sneak in a quick kiss or two, and then, watch how your relationship changes.

Start a Family Garden Together

This summer, you can foster a love of nature and increase the time you spend with your family by starting a family garden. Even if you don’t have outdoor space, you can use pots and other items to utilize the available space that you have. A family garden with not only provide you with a productive and relaxing hobby, but it is also one of the healthiest ways to make time for your family.

Sweet DIY Sundae Sunday

Okay, creating a family garden was a healthy way to make time for your family. Now, this one is definitely not one of the healthiest, but it can be one of the most fun…create a DIY sundae bar to share with your family. You don’t have to wait on a special occasion. Instead, create an indulgent ice cream sundae bar with a variety of toppings and flavors that you can enjoy with your family. I suggested Sunday just for the “pun of it”. But, you don’t have to do this on a Sunday. Any day would suffice. This sweet treat is fun and delicious way to spend time with your family and friends. And, you can enjoy it during the day or in the evening as a bonus part of family dinner.

Create a Family Blog or Vlog

Do you want to share your experiences with the world? Do you want to capture those precious moments on film or online and share them with the world? If you do, then consider documenting your family’s milestones, triumphs, failures, and daily lives through a blog or vlog. This not only serves as a digital scrapbook but also allows you to share your experiences with other families while allowing you to make time for your family.

Points to remember:

*A blog is less intrusive than video. Videos that are published are open to the scrutiny of the world. Both invite others opinions of your parenting and lifestyle.

Family Weekend Getaway

Get away for the weekend with your friends or family. It could be a cabin in the woods, a beach resort, a cozy bed and breakfast, or even a quick trip to a luxury hotel. Don’t overthink it. Plan something simple. Something that won’t cause additional stress and anxiety. This is a way to make those days away from work and school special.

I have a confession. I love staying in luxury hotels just for the sake of getting away. I don’t have to be headed to a conference or anywhere special. I just love being away from home for a day or two to reset and refocus.

Themed Movie Nights

Select a theme for a movie night at home. Create a cozy home cinema atmosphere with blankets and popcorn. And, this can become a monthly tradition that you share with your family.

Volunteer Together

Volunteering as a family will allow you to give back to the community while making time to spend with each other. This will not only strengthens your family bond, but it will also help to teach your children values.

Dine Together

Whether you are going out or staying in, making dinner time special. I know in today’s society is hard to get everyone together at the dinner table at the same time. There are so many different distractions. However, make it a point to have dinner together.

Family At Home Eating Outdoor Meal In Garden Together

If you want to get fancy, you can have a dinner night out once every two week or once a month. And, really, it isn’t about the food. It is about spending quality time together as a family.

Adjust Your Time

If you relationship is important to you, then be willing to make a few sacrifices. And, that includes giving up some of the time that you spend in bed sleeping. So, be willing to let go of 10 to 15 minutes in the morning or right before bed to spend with your kids or spouse. What can you do during this time? Talk. Read a book together. Just make these moments count!

Family Photo Scavenger Hunt

I love to take pictures. So, this is one of the suggestions that I think is fun. Use a family photo scavenger hunt as a way to make time to spend with your family. You can start by create a list of items or scenarios to capture on camera during a family outing or even trip to your kids sporting events. This can help to turn an ordinary day into an exciting adventure. And, maybe…just maybe, we can stop hearing, “I’m bored” on trips.

Trip Down Memory Lane

Visit your hometown or family’s place of origin together. Explore your family roots together. This can be a nostalgic journey filled with storytelling and shared memories. And, if you can’t take an actual trip, then grab the family photo album. Pick some of those older pictures, and then, discuss why each is important. Discuss when each picture was taken and what event was taking place. Even if it’s a picture that captured ordinary moments, they now have a history that can be shared with your kids.

Family Picture Days

Speaking of pictures, be sure to take pictures with your family. No. These don’t have to be professional done. These can be captured with your smartphone. Ignore the kids and even your partner if they are huffing and puffing about taking those pictures. The point is to create memories. And, most importantly, picture time will also equal time spent with your loved ones.

group photo designated photo time with family — designated photo time

Tech-Free Time

Designate a time when everyone disconnects from their devices. I know. Horror of horrors. Your kids and even your significant other will groan in despair. However, pick a time to go tech free. And, if you can’t go for a whole evening, then opt for an hour or two. Use this technology free time to engage in face-to-face conversations, play games, or embark on outdoor activities with your family.

Family Game Night Extravaganza

Who’s up for game night? Me! Transform your living room into a game zone with board games, card games, and interactive video games suitable for all ages. Encourage friendly competition and laughter to create lasting memories with your family.

Create a Family Time Capsule

Another fun way to make time for your family is to create a family time capsule. No, this isn’t the one where you are planning to escape planet Earth. This is the kind where you place items from today that you want others to find decades or even centuries later. How? Gather items and memories that represent you and your family’s current moment, seal them in a container, and bury the container in your backyard. You can then consider yourself done, or you can set a date in the future to unearth the time capsule and reminisce about the past together.

Our families are one of the most precious things we have. And, with the hustle of today’s society, it can be hard to make time for them. However, the 15 activities list above offer some ideas on how to make for your family.

Happy Parenting!!!