Do you ever ask yourself why is family important? In our world of pervasive screen time and social media, many of us have actually become less social in the ways that are not only beneficial, but essential to our mental and physical well-being.
“Spending time with family is an essential aspect of our lives and can profoundly impact our well-being. Spending quality time with family can be one of the most rewarding experiences in life. It’s not just about sharing laughs and creating unforgettable memories – it’s also about improving your overall well-being.
Studies have shown that family relationships can significantly impact mental and emotional health. Whether going for a hike, cooking together, or simply sitting down for a long conversation, time spent with loved ones can help reduce stress and promote happiness and contentment.
Strengthens Family Bonding
One of the benefits of spending time with family and indulging in leisure activities together, is that it strengthens the family bond. This holds true to all type of family activities. They don’t always need to be fancy activities that require a bigger sum of money. Even home-based, low-cost activities such as game night, movie night, gardening, or playing outdoors have a big impact on the ‘health’ of the family relationships.
These positive behaviors make everybody in the family feel closer emotionally to each other, which is always a good thing. These mundane everyday group activities are known as a family’s “core” activities. Those that require much time, money and planning (special events, vacations) are called “balance” activities.
Finding fun ways to spend special time together should be a source of joy. The benefits of family bonding are deeply related to a family’s ability to better adapt to the changes that come with life. The strengthening of family bonds is one of the important benefits of family time. Strong family bonds are one of the best ways to make us more resilient to the changes and challenges of life.
It builds children’s self-esteem
Children who spend time with their parents participating in activities together build a positive sense of self-worth. When children feel that they are valued by their parents, they feel more positive about themselves. Family activities don’t have to be expensive trips out to be meaningful, the important part is just being together. You could go for a bike ride or play a game together.
It develops positive behaviours
Children and adolescents who spend more time with their parents are less likely to get involved in risky behaviour. According to studies done by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse via Arizona State University, teens who have infrequent family dinners are twice as likely to use tobacco, nearly twice as likely to use alcohol and one and a half times more likely to use marijuana.
Children who frequently eat with their families also usually have improved dietary intake compared to those who don’t eat as often with family members.
To make time to talk and listen
Another good reason of spending time with family directly relates to the need to share, talk, and listen to each other as a family.
Parents often think that it would be tough to talk to their children, who think differently from grown-ups. However, parents tend to forget their own time, as how it was for them when they were young! The people you liked were mostly those who listened to what you had to say, similarly, you need to listen to what your children have to say.
Listening doesn’t mean only hearing the words your child is saying, but also feeling what your child is trying to convey.
You need to listen without jumping in with answers, criticizing, or giving your own view points. You need to show that you are involved in the conversation, by stopping all other work you are doing, and just listen to them. Talk directly to your kids, especially teenagers, about alcohol and drugs, and set a good example yourself.