together time

As a child, I remember that my family did a lot of things together.  We ate meals together.  We went skiing, camping, golfing, and bike riding together.  We watched Saturday morning cartoons together and did chores together.  Every summer without exception we took week-long family vacations together. It was wonderful.  I felt like I really knew my parents and they knew me.  My brother was my best friend (except when I hated him.) Our home was a safe place to retreat to.  I want my children to be able to say the same thing. Unfortunately, I don't think families today do enough as a whole.  With the school year soon to be upon us, there are so many opportunities for our family to be apart.  So many opportunities to be busy.  I don't want that.

I think it is important to have certain periods of time when it is mandatory to be together. Meals are a big one for me.  Sometimes when I tuck my kids in bed at night I ask them, "what was the best part of today?"  Often times they answer, "eating dinner with my family."  How sweet is that?  The other thing that we love doing is playing games.  Last night we played Pictionary.  It was hilarious.

In the middle of the game Hannah said, "this is so much fun mom!"  It takes intention to be together.  You have to plan it on purpose.  Often our family time is spent lounging together on our bed.  We are not always very organized or formal.  There are also those days that unfortunately slip by without much communing. But when we do make it happen, it is as if we are mutually saying, "in this moment I choose you over everything else."