Families That Teach Joy Through Responsibilities
Families That Teach Joy provide valuable life long lessons. Kids learn the essentials from home, whether you intend to teach them something in-the-moment or not; kids simply pick up on things as they see them.
Families That Teach Joy
By Lisa Caprelli
As a family, it’s important to keep each other motivated and positive for all the responsibilities of life, both big and small.
That’s why, as parents, it’s important for us to be good role models when we are around our young learners while also teaching them how to live well in all aspects of life: mentally, emotionally, and socially.
Create A Proud Culture of Responsibility
There are so many things in our daily lives that we as people need to be responsible for, even young children growing up in the world: your health, your living space, and even the bonds of those around you.
Kids learn early on how important these aspects are to their well-being, but that all depends on the familial situation!
Doing simple things as a family can help teach our kids how to take care of themselves and become more autonomous beings as they grow older. Here are a few practices that families can do together to bring about joy in the everyday things of life.
The Joys of Keeping a Clean Home
Play some lively music on speakers when it’s time to clean the house. Kids love songs and cheerful music in the background will help them be more active when doing chores.
If you don’t already have a set day during the week to commit to cleaning, then you can create a schedule around everyone’s needs.
For example, one person will vacuum the floors while another washes the windows. As the month goes on you can switch roles on a task board and rotate the responsibilities! This little yet crucial family value teaches kids that an organized space means being on the road to an organized mind.
The Joys of Having Family Time
Set a day and a time every week or so when everyone can come together for a fun movie or game night. There are so many fun and classic tabletop games that you can get into with your kids, including Uno, Go Fish, Dominoes, Jenga, Chinese Checkers, Scrabble – the list goes on!
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For movie night, documentaries are a great family-friendly choice. Find out what it is your kid wants to learn more about (period of time in history, aquatic animals, their favorite celebrity) and you’ll be sure to find something that is fun to watch and enjoyable for everyone!
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The Joys of Eating Well with Others
Kids pick up most of their dietary habits from home. However, eating well doesn’t always revolve around habits of nutrition. A vital part of social development in both children and adults is to eat meals with others rather than on their own.
Instead of having everyone eat their dinner in separate rooms, have the family sit down at a table and discuss the highs and lows of their day. This can include activities at school they liked or something that they saw or learned that they will hold with them. Not only does eating with others strengthen social bonds, this way, you can also find out more about your kid’s interests and dislikes when it comes to game and movie night!
The Joys of Taking a Nice Stroll as Family
Go out for walks as a family after sharing meals. Not only is this a good way to shed off the extra calories after food intake, but you can also interact and find out even more about your child’s interests.
For example, your kid may ask you questions about things that they see along your walks that you may not be privy to. This can include things about wildlife (a butterfly or a plant/flower that fascinates them) or even other things in general that you notice that may make for a great documentary opportunity for movie night!