10 Important Benefits of Family Time

There is not an investment wiser than spending quality time with family. The word “family” is a collective term, in other words, it is not just a couple of individuals living together under the same roof, but a group of people who are connected together and share good as well as bad times. Nobody knows you like your family and your family should be a source of comfort and safety.  Family is not always perfect but it is important to build bonds that will get you through the tough times.  There are quite a few benefits of family time together and there are some trends and statistics for family time that you may find surprising.

10 Benefits Of Family and The Fruits of Family Time

1. Strengthens Family Bond

Spending more time together and indulging in leisure activities strengthens the family bond.  This holds true to all type of activities. They don’t always need to be fancy activities that require a bigger sum of money. Even home-based, low-cost activities such as playing a board game, gardening or playing outdoors have a big impact on the ‘health’ of the family. They make everybody in the family feel closer emotionally to each other, which is always a good thing. These mundane everyday activities are known as a family’s ‘core’ activities, whereas those that require more time, money and planning (special events, vacations) are called ‘balance’ activities. Both of these are deeply related to a family’s ability to better adapt to the changes that come with life.  The strengthening of family bonds is one of the important benefits of family time.

2. Family Time Improves Child’s Academic Performance

The academic success of a child is associated with having his/her parents provide help and guidance when needed. The first steps are always the hardest and most important. This holds true especially in terms of studying. If you, as a parent, provide essential guidance through your child’s first academic school years this will have a really positive effect in the future. If you help your kid with school matters, it is more likely for him/her to receive a better education and, of course, a good job in the future. It starts in Kindergarten when you spend time letting your child know that you value education and you expect them to put forth their best effort. Encourage your child to do well. Asking about their day and what they learned helps them understand the importance of learning and to get attention for doing well.

3. Helps Kids Develop Parenting Skills

Time together with the parents helps the kids develop parenting skills. As strange as it may sound, it really is true. Kids learn by example. If you set a good example on how to behave with your children, your son or daughter will definitely remember that and will apply these ‘parenting skills‘ in the future with their children. In fact, you will probably notice siblings treating each other in the ways you treat them. I have heard my daughter tell my son, “Now Leo, would you like it if someone did that to you? Don’t do something you wouldn’t like done to you.”

4. More Family Time Results In Less Behavioral Problems

Youths who communicate more with their parents tend to have less behavioral problems. They are learning interpersonal skills from the way we treat them and others. Communication is the key to the solution of all problems. If you help your children learn to talk through problems when they are little, they will naturally do the same as they grow older. Especially when it comes to kids in their teen years. Everybody knows teenagers go through a lot of hard moments and nothing can make it better for them than having non-judgmental advice from a caring parent. If they know they can come to you with their tricky situations, they will likely act out less and choose better solutions to their problems.

5. Less Violence

Adolescents that have a closer relationship with their parents are less likely to engage in acts of violence. Teenagers are often enraged for various reasons. This period of their lives is usually full of emotions, which are sometimes difficult to control and can often escalate to random acts of violence either against some of their peers or as an act of self infliction. A conversation with a parent and basically any quality time spent together is capable of relieving these feelings of anxiety and anger. Knowing they can turn to someone who cares and that someone can understand what they are going through helps calm them and leave them less frustrated.

6. Less Chance of Drug Abuse

Teenagers who spend more time with their family are less likely to engage in substance abuse. Youths who experience various problems and are, in general, frustrated, are likely to seek ‘salvation’ in experiencing artificial highs. This, they ‘accomplish’ by using unlawful substances like drugs. Needless to say, the use of such substances could have great damage to their health. Teenagers that always have an understanding and helping parent by their side will be less likely to have big problems and will feel neither the urge, nor the need to use such substances. Parent expectations also play an important role and kids do not like to disappoint a parent who they feel is always there for them and has made it clear that drugs are a poor choice.

7. Happiness

A lot of who we are as people is developed when we are kids. All we know is our parents and family initially and developing a sense of belonging as a child is a huge benefit of family that stays with you throughout your life. A sense of belonging can lead to a happier child. A benefit of family time is learning that we are cared for and needed and both elements are important to happiness. Families need all their members to be an active giving part of the circle to function at their best.

8. Self-Confidence

Another benefit of family time can be building self-confidence. When parents display self-confidence in a way that shows they have a positive value of themselves without putting others down, kids can learn to value themselves. Family can foster a healthy self-esteem and a positive self-concept in a child not only through modeling it but also through helping the child develop important skills that lead to self-confidence such as social competence and problem solving skills. Family members can make a real difference in how members view themselves and their ability to succeed in life.

9. Conflict Resolution

Every family is sure to suffer its share of conflicts. At times, siblings seem born to argue with each other. Sometimes I just sit back and let them argue it out. After all it is good for them to learn to express their emotions and say what is bothering them. It is good for them to learn to talk through things. Then there are times when they need help progressing through the argument in a constructive way and I try to be there to mediate and help learn how to resolve conflicts on their own. The thing about family is that they are always there and it is hard to just avoid them or forget about them so you have to learn to work things out, to let the little things slide, and to make up and move on. Conflict resolution is an important life skill and having a secure, strong family can help you learn to problem solve and forgive.

10. Success

One of the most important benefits of spending time with family is increased chances for success. A positive family environment allows the individuals to blossom instead of worry. All of the great benefits of family that I have already mentioned just set up family members for more success. When everything is positive at home, each family member has a chance to grow to their potential and support each other in their growth. Family stability is key to academic success. Family helps provide you with a safety net and gives you reason to push yourself to succeed. Huffington post said that 67% defined success as “good relationships with friends and family,” so you can see right there how important family time is. And as Zig Ziglar said, “a synergism exists between your personal, family and business lives, and what you do in one affects the other two.”

These ten benefits of family time are probably more concrete than you even expected. Less quantifiable benefits of family include being there each other and helping each other be better in all areas.  When we spend time as family cooking, cleaning, shopping, or building, we are teaching our children important skills that will help them function better in life.  Which of these advantages of family bonding time surprised you? What are your favorite benefits of family time?

The advantage of family to me, is that you have people to love and who love you. The advantage of family is having people catch you when you fall, guide you when you are lost, and restore hope when it is waning. The advantage of family is having someone who knows you through and through and loves you and believes in you, maybe more than you believe in yourself sometimes. Sometimes it is easy to take our family for granted but they are a gift and if you ever lose a family member, you will be reminded how precious they are, how fleeting time is, and how we should treasure our family every day.