Family circle
Does your household resemble a train station at rush hour? One child grabs an apple and is off to the basketball court, another has a dance lesson, and you've got an inbox full of emails to go through—whatever happened to family time? It's still possible to find—i.e. make—time to spend together. This involves some effort but the rewards are truly incalculable. Time spent with your kids can make a difference on many fronts—educational, emotional, and psychological.
Most families find that they must schedule prime family time together; it doesn't just happen. Make a point during family mealtime, or whatever time you can, to review family affairs, share setbacks and triumphs, and just plain stay in touch. Also consider an event of the month, in which family members take turns choosing where to spend one Sunday a month. The theater? A museum? Botanical garden? Whenever possible, prepare younger children for the visit by sharing your interests with them, and ask older kids to help orient younger ones—an exercise that pleases everyone involved.
Skills