The pace of life seems to quicken every year. More and more time is spent rushing from job to after school activities or evening meetings. It's easy to get over whelmed and to loose a sense of family and relaxation in our homes. Here are a few ideas to help strengthen your family and to keep some of life's pressures and stresses out of the home.
~ Be involved but learn how to say No, once in a while. You want to be an involved informed parent but you need to keep your schedule sane. So don't volunteer for everything and don't sign your kids up for every after school sport or activity. Set limits on these activities, car pool whenever possible, and limit the activities you volunteer for and your children participate in to two for each half of the school year.
~ Week long family vacations are great but sometimes you need a family break more often. Plan mini retreats that give you a break from your routine and allow down time where you can just hang out. See if a local hotel with a swimming pool has off-season rates. Then get together with one or two other families whose company you enjoy and book a night in the hotel. Bring swimsuits for the kids and a good book for yourself. You can also turn off the TV, telephone, computer, and CD player for the night, cook an easy meal or order take out and tell stories or play cards or a board game. Teenagers may think its hokey at first but they really do appreciate the change of pace and the time with their family.
~ Eat dinner at the table not in front of the TV or standing in the kitchen grabbing a quick bite just before rushing out to the next activity. Consciously eating your meals not only improves digestion but also allows you thirty minutes to slow down and reconnect; sharing things that happened during the day. Make it mandatory and after a few weeks you will see how everyone really looks forward to this short peace of family time each night.
~ Develop family traditions with your immediate and extended family members. Come up with a special night once or twice a year that isn't tied to a holiday. Have everyone who comes make something to eat, even the littlest ones. Share what you have been doing since the last get together and come up with some fun game everyone can get involved in. Horse shoes, softball, badminton, the game isn't important it's the time you spend together just goofing around without judgment and the pressures of the regular schedule of life.
~ Keep expectations of achievement in school at a reasonable level; encourage your children to strive for things and work at a level that always gives them a bit of a challenge, but don't push them into situations that are too different or may regularly affect their self esteem.
About The Author
?BZ Riger-Hull - www.in-spiros.com
For valuable free articles, assessments, & practical success toolswww.in-spiros.com Certified as a Success Coach, "Four Agreements" Facilitator, & Tele-Course leader We help you communicate powerfully, reduce stress, Strategically Attract success, & increase your financial well-being.
shuttle to Midway Beardstown .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareTough leaders are usually seen as ogres. Their exacting demands... Read More
Loneliness and separation are the real illness of our times.... Read More
Do you ever fret? In today's materialistic age, sometimes fretting... Read More
Everywhere I go, I hear the same unpleasant sentence repeated... Read More
Q. I wonder if you could help me with a... Read More
Over the years I've collected scores of comics and cartoons... Read More
In the fast-paced world that we live in today, it... Read More
I'm so excited that I have discovered this secret today.... Read More
Too much driving, too much shopping, too much rushing around,... Read More
Stress is amazingly persistent, even seductive. We get used to... Read More
Lake Hopatcong, NJ (PRWEB) November 30, 2004 -- Here are... Read More
Elizabeth, 32, cried during anger management class as she told... Read More
We've all been there, right? We find ourselves living with... Read More
Genuine enthusiasm...real feeling of accomplishment...sense of satisfaction and fun. Welcome... Read More
I am worried. I have been biting my nails for... Read More
First, let's make a distinction between pressure and stress. We... Read More
The best way to reduce your stress is to really... Read More
Stress is an interpretation of an event or circumstance which... Read More
In the body, the stress response is mediated by the... Read More
Q: We recently had someone come to our company to... Read More
Is your in-tray or inbox full? I don't normally check... Read More
An excellent stress reducer can be something as simple as... Read More
I hear from many people that they see ever increasing... Read More
1. The Law of StagnationThis is also known as first... Read More
ResentmentsA wise friend once said that holding onto resentments is... Read More
Green Bay Hummer H2 SUV rentals ..Do you feel tense and anxious at work? Do your... Read More
Imagine going through your whole life in the constant fear... Read More
Why are you so busy? Do you really have too... Read More
My grandmother, a feisty and athletic woman in her younger... Read More
Do you ever feel stressed? Is stress a regular component... Read More
No this is not related to praying, this is how... Read More
It's no secret that we women, by virtue of our... Read More
In these times when companies are constantly down-sizing and right-sizing... Read More
What good is Personal or Business Success...if your Health is... Read More
Learning methods of stress elimination is a vital skill in... Read More
Most of us lead busy lives, trying to successfully juggle... Read More
Recently I completed some new workshop engagements in addition to... Read More
Make stress less of an issue for you in your... Read More
Self-Care Strategies:Substantial breakfast daily Regular sleeping habits (minimum of 7... Read More
Who hasn't experienced "worry" at one time or another? Almost... Read More
There is one sure fire medicine that cures all difficulty... Read More
Don't let stress wear you down. Next time you are... Read More
Everybody deals with fear and anxiety, however some people have... Read More
26 ways to minimize and manage the unhealthy effects of... Read More
ResentmentsA wise friend once said that holding onto resentments is... Read More
When was the last time that you truly took a... Read More
Most of us are trying to balance work, home, and... Read More
Stress is often seen as being unhealthy, but for some... Read More
When Army leaders fail to control battlefield stress, they lose... Read More
I am worried. I have been biting my nails for... Read More
Stress Management |