Family time is elusive. You want it, yearn for it, and cherish the precious moments as life moves at a rapid pace. If you are wondering how you can connect with your family and sift through all of the responsibilities to get to the good stuff, keep reading for some helpful ideas.

Try These Ideas to Connect With Your Family

Watch Movies Together

You and your crew are probably always ready for a good movie night. But finding family-friendly movies can be frustrating, if not downright difficult. There is an overwhelming abundance of movies available via a very large quantity of streaming services, cable offerings, and online in general. It is almost impossible to determine what is suitable for young viewers and what is decidedly not.

Take the time to vet each movie in advance of family movie night. Look at the ratings and content. When you make those efforts, you are unlikely to be surprised and expose your family to something they are not ready to see or old enough to understand. Nobody wants to perpetuate their fear of the dark because a scary movie fell through the cracks.

Make movie time even more special by creating a cozy atmosphere. Dim the lights or turn them off. Add fairy twinkle lights around the room for a fun mood. Bring out the fluffiest pillows and softest blankets to cuddle together on the couch. Don’t forget the food. Movie staples, such as popcorn, movie theater candy, and pizza are easy and make it special.

Play Video Games Together

“Play video games?” you may ask. Yes, sit down with your family members and play a game or two together. Whether it is your spouse, grown child, or younger one, if they thoroughly enjoy spending time attached to a screen, you can meet them where they are and see what it is all about. 

Approach your family member and tell them you’d like to learn more about their video games and ask if you can play. If you need to, ask them to teach you how. This is a great bonding experience and gives them agency over how they guide you. They will feel empowered and special that you are interested in their hobby instead of judging the amount of time they spend gaming. 

You never know how much joy you can experience when you step into your loved one’s world and see what the excitement is all about. A new bonding activity and certainly some memories will be created.

Gaming might be something you can share every so often, especially if you feel disconnected. It is a great way to interact while sitting side by side, working together, but not having to say too much if you just want to take it easy.

Watch this video for a unique vantage point on why parents and kids should play video games together.