Family time – What you mustn\’t ignore

After finishing my training recently, a couple came up to me to thank me for the session I had conducted. The wife who was a participant told me that she reads my blog every morning at 6:30am when I usually post it. At that moment, the husband told me that her indulgence in mobile activity robbed him of his family time. Family time is one of the most important parts of your life which must never be ignored. It has a profound effect, not only on you, but also your children.

What is family time?

Family time is a specific time of the day when all members of a family sit together over a coffee or even to chat about the day\’s happenings. It can happen either in the morning or the evening. Usually, mornings are better because that starts the day. Family time must not be over dinner since that\’s a time when all members of the family are busy satisfying their hunger for food.

I remember a family I visited in Chennai. They were four brothers. Their family time was unique. When they got together, they wouldn\’t talk much. Each one of them was picked up a musical instrument and began playing. And they were in sync. One brother would play the keyboard while the other would play drums. The third would sing and so on. Family time is good for psychological bonding. It must not be left out for any reason. Even if a few members of the family are travelling, the rest of the family must get together.

What happens during family time?

During family time, the family members get together to have fun. You can play board games, discuss your happenings, share jokes or have a snack together. Basically, a family time is a light moment of the day where all members of the family unwind and bond together. Bonding is more often a happening rather than a doing, When you spend more time with the same group of people, we bond together. A family bond must be the strongest bond of your life. Boys and girls who find partners to spend more time with each other and wish to stay away from their families come from families that often do not have strong family bonds.

It is important for the head of the family to be casual with his family and never be serious. Several people try to conduct their family like they do in their office. Children find too much pressure following parents\’ orders. Parents need to be casual. However, they mustn\’t be careless.

What happens if you did not have family time?

A family had called me to their home for dinner. The head of the family was on the phone. One phone call followed the other. The wife was busy in the kitchen preparing the dishes. They had two children. The son had his mother\’s mobile and was playing video games while the daughter was away. Such families are dysfunctional. Children copy their parents. The future families that their children will establish will often be broken because they don\’t have an example of a healthy family.

Children often complain of not having their private time. Such attitude must be discouraged. This blog post will help you understand more.

How to begin family time?

Whatever your profession, take time out every morning to spend quality time with your family. There is no shortcut to this. Just begin with 10 minutes every morning. Do not bring in your gadgets, news or newspapers in between the family members. Practice spending time with your family. Get used to it. Even if you did not have anything to speak, just sit together. Hold fingers. The bonding will induce love into the relationships. It\’s healthy.

When I am working with clients who come to me with relationship problems, I often notice that they have a past of being raised in broken or dysfunctional families. When I have worked with their past, is when their life gets better. Then, I help them nurture their present relationship with love and care.

In Conclusion

Family bonding is an investment for the future. You will see the seeds of your bonding blossom in your children\’s relationships. No other investment pays you the dividends the way family bonding does.

— Mahesh Krishnamurthy