Family Night

The “Big” Family

When we lived in Michigan, we started our “Family Night” tradition. We were inspired by a beautiful family with 9 children (one of which was our part-time nanny), who set aside time on Friday nights to enjoy time together as a family. We were invited to spend a family night with this family. For dinner, they all had a chance to add toppings to part of a pizza that they would later claim as their own. Then they clustered together in different rooms, with stragglers drifting from room to room as they played games and had conversations. I loved watching them interact together, smile, laugh, and help each other figure out crossword puzzles. It was so inspiring, so beautiful, and well…busy!

Friday Family Night

We make family a priority in our home. We do as much as we can “together as a family.” Since our third blessing was a baby, we started setting aside Friday nights to spend fun time together as a family. Typically, we spend our family nights at home. Over the years we have spent Fridays enjoying fun, kid-friendly meals that we prepare as a family (Most of the time! Sometimes me and my hubby just whip something up quickly for the sake of sanity…haha). We shift schedules to keep our Family Nights a priority and emphasize the importance of keeping our family time together. If needed, we  have Saturday or Sunday Family Nights.

Our kids have grown to anticipate our Friday Family Night activities often cheering as Friday gets closer. I love hearing the joyful expectation in their voices as they jump around and ask (usually all at once) “What are we eating for family night?” “Can we play Charades?” “Are we going to watch a movie? Can I pick?”

The Commitment

Family time should be a priority. It provides a time to share, care, and enjoy conversations that could build strong bonds and open relationships. Time with our children passes so quickly, so I encourage you to set aside some time to have a family night or even a special family hour every week. Let your children know they are a priority in your family. Start with popcorn and a movie and snuggle on the couch together (even those teenagers!). Or bake a batch of cookies and sit around a table and play board games together. The key is to do it as a family EVERY week and stick to it.

Here is what we do on our family nights:

-Kid-friendly picnic worthy meal

-Confessions

-Blessings

-Entertainment

Our family nights can be crazy when we are preparing the meals (uh…7 sets of hands in the kitchen can be a little chaotic and well, a bit stressful for mom and dad!!!). But it is all worth it. Start a new tradition in your home. Join our family as we work together to build strong families.

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Do you have a family night? What is your favorite thing to do as a family? If you don’t have a family night, are you ready to start a new tradition?