Sometimes family togetherness can get a bit smothering…so what’s a family to do?
I wish I had a bullet-proof plan. I don’t. But here are a few things I do…sometimes with more success than others.
1) Pray. God longs for our families to be places of peace. Which means our enemy wants the exact opposite. So be sure to pray for extra patience and grace. Need to stop and do that myself!
2) Mix things up. Have you gone to the pool six days in a row and it’s become blase? Then go to a park. Have a craft day. Come up with something different you can do and ask the kids for their ideas.
3) Remember you’re building memories. And often the things that drive us nuts aren’t even a tiny memory in a couple years.
Praying you’ll have peace in your houses. Do you have any tips to add? I’d love them!
Comments 2
Great tips! I love bringing my kiddos to historic sites, museums and places of interest periodically (too much of this can get boring for them and stressful for me!) – but it’s nice to keep those options in mind.
I’ve also given my older girls “homework” for the summer. They’re 6 & 8 and, up until now, they’ve been at each other’s throats. I told them that it’s their job this summer to become best friends. Every night before bed I ask them to tell me one thing they learned about their sister that makes her happy. As they tell me, they giggle their way through it and I’ve been so amazed to hear their answers! I’m seeing a huge improvement in their friendship and it gives all of us a project to work on together.
What a great idea! I love encouraging them to study their siblings!