In today’s busy world, families struggle to find time to spend with each other on a consistent basis. In most households both parents work, making quality time even more difficult to come by. However, even with the demands that a busy schedule can have on a family, it should still be a priority to make family time a consistent practice by any means necessary.

The Juggling Act
Most families juggle the schedules of everyone. Sally may have cheerleading on Mondays, while Gus has softball on Thursdays. Mom may be in a carpool and have to leave early to pick up other people for work and dad may have to stay late at the office at least two nights a week. It can be exhausting trying to navigate the schedules of every family member. Most people would be compelled to throw their hands up in defeat. However, make take making a few sacrifices and compromises to get to the coveted family time that every family should have with each other, but its worth it.

Letting Go
Sometimes, schedules are busy because they have been overbooked and overscheduled. In these instances, letting go of a few activities may be all thats needed to free up enough time to make remove for family activities. Can Sally give up soccer and be satisfied with cheerleading? Can Gus let go of Chess club and keep softball on Thursdays? Can mom decide not to carpool on family days? Can dad commit to only one late night at work per week? Can that bucket truck rescue training be rescheduled? If a family is willing to make these kinds of sacrifices they can make family time a consistent reality. However, this is not possible unless a family is willing to let go of certain activities in order to make room for one more important one.

Choosing an Activity
When the family schedule is already busy, it helps to plan family nights so that the night can be enjoyed spending time with each other and not getting things together. Plan the activity in advance. Make sure that food is a part of the planning so that time is not lost cooking meals or ordering out. If family time is supposed to begin at 8 PM, make sure that dinner is done by 7 or that the food has been delivered or picked up by 7 PM. This ensures that family time is spent enjoying each other and actively engaged instead of worrying about food or some other detail.

Most families lead busy lives, but that doesnt mean that family time should have to be taken off the schedule. Do some juggling to make family time a consistent reality weekly. Sacrifice a few extra activities and commitments to make a more important one possible.