Making Time for Family

In the world today, it is so easy to get busy and forget what matters most to us here on earth. Our families need our love and undivided attention, but often, we are distracted with things like our phones, computers, or television. I know I have been guilty of putting things above my time with family. It’s easy to make excuses like “I have a deadline” or “I’ll just be a minute”—then we get caught up in what we are doing. The minutes add up to hours and the hours add up to days, and we miss out on spending precious moments with our loved ones. God has been working in my heart and has shown me that I needed to make some changes.

We must set time aside each day to spend quality time with our husbands and our children. We need to turn off our phones, close our laptops, and really pay attention to what our families are doing and saying to us. Family time should be high on our list of priorities. The only thing above it should be spending time with God. As a mom, I consider planning family time as one of my greatest responsibilities. We never want our loved ones to feel like we put other things above them.

So, what can we do as moms to make family time enjoyable? I like to plan game nights where we all come together to play board games or video games that we all like. During this time, I make sure that I am present for every moment. I don’t worry about what else I need to be doing; instead, I focus my attention on them. As we play games, we have time to talk and share stories with each other. We giggle so much our cheeks hurt by the end of the evening. It’s GREAT!

Some other great ideas for family time is pizza and movie night, a picnic, or getting in the car and taking a long drive. Just use your imagination. Be creative. Tune into what brings your family the most joy. It doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. It just needs to be a time where you can be with each other and really enjoy one another’s company without interruptions.

As we spend more time together, I see our family getting closer. We are learning more about one another. There are not as many arguments or disagreements. We are learning how much we all love a peaceful home, and we are striving to respect one another. These little changes started when I put effort into making family time a special activity each week. I am so happy that God showed me that my family is my ministry. I need to put them above my other endeavors during this season of life.

I encourage you to set time aside to be with your family. Remember that time is the most precious gift you can give to them.

My name is Betty Daley. I am a wife, mother, and homeschooling teacher. I have been married to my high school sweetheart for 24 years and we have six children. I have been homeschooling for 20 years. Our older three have graduated The Daley Academy, and we continue to homeschool our younger three. We love sharing about our homeschooling adventures. Our family motto is “Do all to the glory of God”. We pray that we can encourage others as we give you a look into our lives. https://letsgetreal2016.blogspot.com/