You know the cliché, "Home is Where the Heart Is," well, every home can and should have a heart as well. The heart is the place where you and your family spend the most time together, make memories and grow. You might already have a special place in your home, established by activities you do together, but you might not. Here are some thoughtful ideas to help you find or create the heart of your home.
Your house, along with a bit of work from you too, should help bring your family together. The kids might have separate rooms, and there might be multiple floors, but there is always a place to spend time with each other, you simply have to find it. Think about the types of things you do with your family, or want to do, and how you can establish a central point in your home to help.
Family meals. You and your kids have busy lives and varying schedules, but everyone needs to eat right? Try putting a family mealtime in place to allow some time for you to enjoy each other’s company and communicate as a family. Maybe you can have a family breakfast each morning, or always have dinner at the table together and hear about everyone's day. If a daily get-together isn't possible, try a recurring weekend brunch or Sunday dinner where you all set aside the time to be together.
Game night or movie night. If you’re not big on cooking or family meals don’t work you’re your schedule, try implementing a weekly game or movie night. You can make snacks together, and all curl up on the couch. You can take turns selecting the movie and learn more about each other’s interests. Perhaps getting into a tv show as a family will help you all set aside an hour each week to do something everyone likes while getting in some good family time. A family game night at the table or in the backyard is another excellent way to be together. Are your kids into sports? Have a weekly family pick-up game. Are you great at cards? Teach your kids a new card game and let them teach you a new game the next week. Maybe you’re huge football fans and can make a pact to always watch the game together during the season.
Your family members might all have different interests, but there is always some common ground you can find. Take some time, and maybe some input from your family, to figure out what that thing is and use it to help you develop your relationships for a long-lasting closeness and friendship with each other.
Talk with your professional real estate agent about the home features that are important to securing continuous family time with your loved ones. They can help make sure your new home continues to support your family growth.
