The importance of spending time together as a family (or chosen family) is pretty indisputable. Fostering healthy connections with family members is crucial for our social well-being, and for our overall wellness.
Yet the time families spend together in shared activity is pretty low. Research says that American families spend just 37 minutes of quality time together a day. Yikes.
One of the best ways we know to reconnect with family is by creating and maintaining enduring family traditions.
Traditions are activities and experiences that are passed down from generation to generation. These rituals can instill individual members with a sense of identity and belonging, and they can inspire warm feelings and memories that all members can share. Even better, longevity research has shown that people in healthy families with strong ties suffer lower rates of stress, depression, and suicide.
Traditions can be as unique and special as the family itself. Here are a few ideas that can get you started finding yours today:
Game Night
Everyone loves a game night! Gather suggestions from everyone and then invest in four or five games suitable for family play. Identify a night or nights when everyone is regularly available, commit to those dates, and then gather everyone around the dinner table for some healthy family competition.
Cooking Night
Cooking together is a terrific way to learn, bond, and foster healthy eating habits. Choose one night a week (or month) when all family members are available to help prepare a meal. Start with something delicious and healthy—may we suggest a delicious recipe from Blue Zones Project? You might sprinkle in a twist or two to keep it interesting, like dusting off an old family recipe (or approximation) and giving it a whirl. Don’t have much of a cooking lineage? That’s OK! Pretend you’re related to a great chef and borrow a “family” recipe from their latest cookbook.
Day of Service
Acts of service result in a number of positive physical and mental effects, with volunteering in particular linked to lower rates of cancer and heart disease. Your whole family can receive these remarkable benefits while enjoying giving back to the community together. It doesn’t have to happen on a holiday, though that’s a nice tradition, too. You can start today! Consult an online resource like Volunteer Match to see what opportunities exist in your area, then get out the calendar and find a day that everyone can agree upon.
Digital Detox
Our devices are useful and entertaining, but we all need a break every so often. You can initiate a family tradition of taking a digital detox. Pick a recurring day or weekend and turn off your devices to connect with each other instead of your social media contacts. Everyone needs to commit—no exceptions. So be sure everyone, even the grownups, can follow through. You’ll be happy you did.
