| Combine the best family games and family activities | | | | Bond together with other fun activities |
| for bonding with your children. In this century, it is | | | | Along with the family games, bond together with |
| increasingly evident that most families are busier than | | | | other fun things to do. You can find quite a few fun |
| ever. Commonly seen is that both parents are | | | | activities for families from your local newspaper or |
| employed in the workforce having just enough | | | | magazine. Some of the activities may be free of |
| allowable time to transition from work (most likely | | | | charge while others charge a nominal fee. Be |
| during the commute home), be present for school | | | | prepared to adjust the free time for everyone to |
| activities, help with homework, dinner and bedtime. | | | | enjoy the activity. Get input from family members as |
| Weekends tend to be even busier seeing that | | | | to what they would like to do so they can be part |
| Johnny and Suzy are involved in sports and need to | | | | of the decision process. |
| be shuttled to and from their destinations. There are | | | | Another great activity for bonding that is truly |
| the household chores, grocery shopping, and home | | | | overlooked is chores. As unpleasant as it may be, it |
| maintenance that seem to devour free time as a | | | | can create the perfect time for closeness. It serves |
| family. A system has to be created so that free time | | | | a wonderful space in time to socialize together or |
| will not be sacrificed and for the possibility of | | | | one on one with a family member. It also affords the |
| generating more. | | | | opportunity for parents to listen to their children and |
| Make time for family games | | | | facilitates a channel of communication. Chores can be |
| Choosing the right games can be easy to do. You will | | | | a fun activity when everyone cooperates and works |
| want to make sure the games will be compatible for | | | | together. The trick is to work on a chore collectively |
| all family members to participate. The important | | | | not individually. It will speed up the process to |
| ingredient for playing the games is for everyone to | | | | complete the task and eliminate the doldrums of |
| make the time to come together. For this to happen, | | | | doing the routine alone. |
| it may take some sacrificing of time allowed for | | | | Looking at the big picture |
| other activities such as television and chores. | | | | There is no doubt that family bonding takes effort |
| A great way to approach the game playing is to set | | | | and commitment especially for those families with |
| aside 30 minutes of free time that will be convenient | | | | busy lifestyles. Families will have to figure out what |
| for all. Playing the games may take longer than the | | | | strategies and techniques will work best for them. A |
| time set aside but you can always continue the play | | | | key factor to keep in mind is that it is not the |
| the following day. There is no need for alarm if the | | | | quantity of time but the quality of time devoted to |
| play falls short of time allowed. The object is to have | | | | the activities. Once a system has been created, a |
| fun without judgment, criticism, or teasing. | | | | family is on their way to successful bonding. |