6 Reasons Spending Time With Family is More Important Than You Think

6 Reasons Spending Time With Family is More Important Than You Think

The next time one of your loved ones nags at you about spending time with family, you may want to take the grumbling seriously.

Studies prove that you should, for many reasons.

Finding quality time in this busy day and age is a challenge, but not impossible. There are a few ways you can set it aside for your loved one without feeling the stretch.

Studies Show that Spending Time with Family is Important

Research has shown that family time has profound benefits.

Six years of research compiled by scientists at the University Of California proves that loneliness predicts death. The study focused on 1600 elderly participants. It revealed that of the seniors who died, 14% had regular visitors. In contrast, 23% had no family or friends who came by to see them.

In general, elderly persons are more likely than young ones to place importance on relationships. They are also more tolerant of faults in their family members because they do not like being alone.

6 Reasons Spending Time With Family is Important

Why is there so much stress on being with loved ones? Besides lengthening lives, spending time with family has other benefits.

1. Builds Self-Esteem

First of all, children who spend quality time with their loved ones have self-confidence. They are more sociable because they sense that their parents value them. Also, kids with self-esteem find it easy to build relationships.

2. Creates bonds

Spending time with family strengthens family ties. Also, families who enjoy group activities will develop strong relationships and handle stressful situations with ease.

In this busy day and age, it is a luxury for parents to spend time with their children. Making time for the family will allow you to teach your kids valuable life lessons like kindness and fairness.

3. Nurtures positive behaviors

Consequently, kids will start to develop positive behaviors because loved ones influence them. A 2012 study reflected that children who ate regular meals with their families performed better in school. Furthermore, adolescents who spent more time with their parents tended not to abuse alcohol.

If you wish to see positivism in action, refer to this example.

A mother observed that her teenage daughters were spending less time at home. She conducted an experiment and started baking cookies for them when they returned from school.

The girls ignored the cookies at first. As time went by, they began to stop at the kitchen table and grab cookies from the plate. Eventually, they sat down for tea and began to have meaningful conversations with her.

4. Creates memories

Another reason for having family time is to make memories. Children share more about their lives in these situations that if you ask them ‘What happened in school today?’

5. Healthy lifestyle

Also, your lifestyle will become healthier than before. Family members will remind you to have nutritious meals.

6. Relieves stress

Finally, chatting with your loved ones will help to reduce your stress. Talking about worries eases it.

Ways to spend time with your family without feeling stretched

With everyone having busy schedules, spending time together as a family is a stretch. The good news is that there are ways to make it less burdensome and more pleasurable.

1. Spend time with your children

First of all, make it a point to spend time with your kids. You do not need to go out of your way. Sit down for dinner so you can have family conversations. Going out with them for walks after dinner will allow you to teach them life lessons.

Children love fixing broken items. These may seem like tedious tasks, but curious kids love them. They want to see what lies under the faulty kitchen sink.

You can also read together with your kids. Besides improving their language skills, you can use the time to share sound values with them.

Another way to spend time with children is to leave messages for them. Although you may not have the chance to say hello, they will get pleasant surprises from your texts.

2. Get in touch with your teenagers

Growing teens often feel that their parents step over their boundaries. But all is not lost.

Take the time to talk to your teenagers while driving them to school. It is convenient and allows them to share the goings-on in their lives. Another way to connect with them is through social media. Have chats with them over Whatsapp and step into their lives. It is the way they make sense of the modern world around them.

Teens may go through growing pains and are a handful. That said, they love to volunteer. Getting them to do volunteer work allows them to make a difference. It also lets you spend quality time with them.

3. Remember your parents

As said before, elderly parents feel lonely. If you do not live with your parents, give them a call. Doing this takes no time at all. It is always special for a parent to get a call from a child.

Also, have a meal with them at least once a week. Cook family meals together. You will learn what makes a dish special for the family.

4. Make time for your spouse

Of course, your spouse is the most important person in your life. Keep in touch with him or her with instant messages throughout the day and turn your mobile phone off when you are alone. You can connect in no time at all.

Also, make an effort to start the day together. Even if it is a quick cup of coffee, breakfast is an excellent time to connect.

Another great way to spend time with your spouse without taxing yourselves is to exercise together. Having a nightly jog or walking in the park is a wonderful way to spend quality time with your significant other.

5. Stay in touch with your relatives

Remember the aunts and uncles who may annoy you? Spending time with them may help you more than you realize. But you do not have to stress yourself over connecting with them.

Creating a group chat in Facebook or Whatsapp will allow you to keep in touch with everyone. With a group chat, you only need to reach out to them once when organizing functions. Keep track of special events like birthdays or anniversaries.

Spending time with family is important because it may benefit each member in more ways than you realize.