Use summer to spend family time together

Use summer to spend family time together
                        

The warm days of summer have finally arrived, and the celebration of our nation’s independence is a great summer tradition for many families.

Soon, our extended family will be gathering to celebrate my father’s recognition as a founding member of the Granville Kiwanis Club, a group that has sponsored a Fourth of July community celebration for as long as I can remember. The traditions of the local parade, family picnic, storytelling and catching up with family is something I look forward to every year.

Why is spending time together important?

I could make a list of reasons why I feel family time is important, and I hope so could you. Here are some reasons stated by the Relationships Foundation (www.relationshipsfoundation.org) that may reinforce our thoughts:

—Spending time together is when we really get to know one another. We learn how to listen and share our thoughts and feelings with each other. Our children need to learn from example on these essential skills as they grow older in making friends and eventually dating.

—Time together can be fun and educational. For young children, much of their basic learning takes place in the many informal situations we do on a daily basis. Mealtime, bedtime, getting dressed, going shopping, dealing with problems, making choices and more provide opportunities for learning.

—Children need to know they are loved, unconditionally. This means loving them no matter how they act, what they win or don’t win, or when they have a “bad” day. It means even though we don’t approve of the behavior, we still love and accept the child for the gift they are.

—By living in a family, children learn to share, how to stand up for their own rights and learn how to love others.

—Children learn about values and morals from their families. They learn what is important to us and how to be honest, reliable, accountable and loving because of how they see the family in action.

—As young adults it’s a time to gain understanding from the stories about how living used to be and to really understand “where you come from.”

—Who we look like, laugh like or enjoy being around because of their personality.

—Who’s the family storyteller? Usually someone in the family is the historian and the entertainer with stories of bygone days.

—Family rituals and traditions may change, but we may find that though we live miles apart, we do things very similarly because of the family values we grew up with.

—When we enjoy spending time together in the good times, it is much easier to endure the tough times when they arrive with the support of our loved ones.

—Having the discussion about what our family values are and the reasons behind the Fourth of July, Presidents’ Day/Veterans Day give us opportunities to talk and explain why we celebrate. It’s not just any other day, but a day dedicated so we don’t forget. If children learn to love and appreciate their country through thoughtful activities, they will be more likely to become responsible, active citizens in their community, nation and the world. Who in the family are veterans? It is a great time to learn more history of both our country and our family.

Sometime this week, talk with your family about what they enjoy most about the summer and what things you want to do before school begins again. Maybe it’s not just things they want to do but important people in their lives they want to spend more time with. Even for those of us without children, it’s still a time to take a break and enjoy the sights and sounds that are only available during these warm months. Happy Fourth of July everyone.

Melinda Hill is an OSU Extension family and consumer sciences educator and may be reached at 330-264-8722 or hill.14@osu.edu.


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