Have you got things you'd like to discuss with your family? Family night is a great time to call a family meeting. You can discuss anything from family rules and changes to next week's dinner menu. Family meetings are an especially good time to talk about things that need changing in the family. If you are having difficulties with rules or another person, this is a great opportunity to air those grievances. This is a time when emotions are not running so high and others can help mediate the problem at hand, offering solutions at the same time.
Family meetings are also a great time for the kids to bring up requests for rule changes. It is best if the child has given their idea some thought and approach the situation with calmness and maturity (same goes for parents!) :) This is a good time for parents to give real attention to what the child is requesting, as well as having emotions under control.
Family meetings can be a good time to dole out chores, plan menus and take care of scheduling issues for the upcoming days. These are things that help a family run smoothly but can often get taken care of "on the run". By planning ahead, the family can get a littel relief in the midst of the storm of everyday life.
Family meetings can be a great help to families. Using family night to hold family meetings from time to time can be a true benefit to everyone in the family.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
letterboxing
There is a modern day treasure hunt that families can participate in. In this treasure hunt, you are searching for hidden goods, but the treasure is a stamp that has been previously hidden. You can log onto letterboxing.org for the clues as to where many letterboxes have been hidden. It is surprising how many secret treasures have been hidden throughout the U.S. Many are in local or state parks. Perhaps even one near you! So log onto the site, grab the clues, get a stamper, ink and note pad for your family and begin your modern day treasure hunt!
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Video Game Night
The main goal of family night is to draw the family together and have them do something together that everyone can enjoy. Of course, with teens in the house, one option that comes up repeatedly is video games. There are many video games that can be played on game systems as well as those online, for those who do not own a game system.
There are many sites that offer online games. Many are oriented to children and/or teens. These could be made into a family video game tournament. Kids would get a kick out of seeing mom and dad play video games (beating mom and dad!), and mom and dad would get a kick out of remembering the good old days when they played early versions of video games.
One thing to be careful of when getting invovled in online games is making sure you do not visit sites that call for fees for joining (unless of course it would be worth it for your family.) But more importantly, there are many sites like this that are gambling sites. They are located outside the US. You can play one on one or even in tournaments. But sites like these do not allow anyone under eighteen to be a member, so it really would defeat the purpose of family night, unless your kids like to watch you play online games.
When choosing video games to play together as a family, it seems most conducive to choose games that span a wide age range and would provide interaction between all family members.
If you find your teen getting involved in online gambling, it might be time to pull the plug on family night video games-especially those found online.
There are many sites that offer online games. Many are oriented to children and/or teens. These could be made into a family video game tournament. Kids would get a kick out of seeing mom and dad play video games (beating mom and dad!), and mom and dad would get a kick out of remembering the good old days when they played early versions of video games.
One thing to be careful of when getting invovled in online games is making sure you do not visit sites that call for fees for joining (unless of course it would be worth it for your family.) But more importantly, there are many sites like this that are gambling sites. They are located outside the US. You can play one on one or even in tournaments. But sites like these do not allow anyone under eighteen to be a member, so it really would defeat the purpose of family night, unless your kids like to watch you play online games.
When choosing video games to play together as a family, it seems most conducive to choose games that span a wide age range and would provide interaction between all family members.
If you find your teen getting involved in online gambling, it might be time to pull the plug on family night video games-especially those found online.
Friday, January 5, 2007
Playdough Night
Most kids love to play with playdough. You can create and form anything you can imagine. Playdough is a staple in most homes with preschoolers. Maybe your kids are a bit past playdough age, or maybe you are in the heyday of playdough times but there is another way to enjoy your playdough. You can have your fun and eat it too! There are many edible playdough recipes around but I will share our family's favorite.
Peanut Butter Playdough
1 C peanut butter
1/2 C honey
2 C powdered sugar
mix all ingredients until soft and pliable
This makes fun to use dough for all ages and when you are done, you don't have to worry about storing it, just eat it up!
Peanut Butter Playdough
1 C peanut butter
1/2 C honey
2 C powdered sugar
mix all ingredients until soft and pliable
This makes fun to use dough for all ages and when you are done, you don't have to worry about storing it, just eat it up!
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