Families are busy. It seems as if families are facing a higher demand on their time than ever before. School work, secular work, extracurricular activities, and the day to day activities of life can almost feel overwhelming. For this reason, families need to work hard in order to schedule time for rest and relaxation. In addition to improving their health and overall sense of well-being, scheduling time to relax as a family, will strengthen the family’s bonds of unity. It will create an environment that is conducive to long-term family happiness and mental well-being.

There are two challenges that families face when planning time to relax as a family. The first challenge is scheduling. As previously mentioned, in most families every single member of the family has a schedule that is jam-packed with important activities. In some families, everyone is so busy that even setting the time to get together to plan a day of rest and relaxation can be a challenge.

The second challenge comes from finding something that everyone in the family enjoys doing. It only stands to reason that in a large family, everyone is going to have their own hobbies, their own taste, and their own way that they want to spend their time. It may require a little bit of compromise on the part of some in the family to find an activity that everyone will enjoy.

Parents need to take the lead in organizing these activities. Of course, they should get constant input from all members of the family throughout the planning process. This will make the actual day or days of rest and relaxation stress free and enjoyable for everyone.

For example, if the family decides that they are going to go on a boating trip, the parents and children can get together to select the lake that they are going to boat on. They can do research on things like what types of fish are in the lake, the size of the lake, what boat lift prices are and what other attractions are available in the area.

Children who grow up in families where the parents took the lead in making sure that the family had time for rest and relaxation together, become well-adjusted adults. They usually have a stronger relationship with their parents and with their siblings, and they find it easier to have successful, meaningful, loving relationships with others.

Relax As a Family