Family Bonding

A pleasant home atmosphere in which children are comfortable is paramount for healthy family relationships.  Minimum personal time and space gives family members an opportunity to dream, plan and reflect.  Balance between group time, partnerships, and individual time ensures that each child learns from and shares with a variety of family members. 

Some of the most memorable group pastimes that I recall spending with my family occurred inside our home.  One of the activities that the entire family enjoyed was playing games together.  There was Scrabble, Chess, Bingo, Monopoly and others.  Board games brought us together in a way that left us yearning for more.  At other times we assembled jigsaw puzzles, played cards, and had potluck meals where each family member made a dish for dinner.   

Outdoor togetherness can also be a load of fun.  Hikes in local hilly areas, dodge ball or a walk to the store with the family is healthy in a number of ways.  Yard work and gardening can turn into a blast.  Local and national news usually announce noteworthy "sky shows" that occur this time of year.   Meteor showers and distinctive constellations of the stars in the universe are as entertaining as a movie and as educational as a planetarium viewing.

Now, when reminiscing with my adult children, they refer to those times as the “good ol’ days”.