Family Focus: Purposeful Parenting Month

11201815_10205605778637513_7990731587552940137_n_19687082269_oSince it’s Purposeful Parenting Month, I thought I would devote this post to improving family relationships.

Purposeful parenting means being more present, open, and available to your children. Basically, it means you’ll take just a little more time to parent your kids instead of watching your favorite TV show or checking your cell phone.

Maybe you could take a walk, throw a frisbee, or simply have a long talk. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy. All it takes is just being more aware of your parenting habits and discovering ways to improve.

Just recently, my family and I went on vacation. It was great to get away and spend uninterrupted time together. After I had this experience, I had some realizations, the biggest being that I didn’t know my children as well as I thought I did.

So, I jotted these ideas down, hoping it would help those of you reading this post.

  1. cabo_19889056885_oTake a family vacation. Being together 24/7 makes it possible for families to understand (or annoy) each other on a much greater level. There are many things you can do and it doesn’t need to be expensive. Go camping, road tripping, or spend some time at grandma’s house. Just do something together for at least a couple of days and get to know those you share your life with.
  2. Put your phone away. You don’t realize how much time you spend on those time-sucking devices until you’re away from them. Instead of checking Facebook every five minutes, plan a time each day to “check in” and then leave the phone alone when you’re with family.
  3. Play games. You can get to know each other so much better by playing together. It was fun to see us get closer just by playing simple card games, pool games, and even silly games we made up at the airport while waiting.cabo-2015_19252620883_o
  4. Set nutritional goals. Since I’m at work each day, I don’t see every single thing my kids eat and I didn’t realize they were spending so much time grazing. We decided we’re going to plan meals together and work to help each other eat better. I can’t wait to watch my kids keep each other accountable.
  5. Get active. Again, disconnect those phones and see what the world has to offer. You’ll discover so much about each other just by trying new activities together. If you’re having a hard time coming up with ideas, read my post about keeping your family active all year long.

What are some ways you are working to improve the relationships in your family? Have you tried any of the above or do you have your own thoughts of how to improve your relationships? I’d love to hear what’s worked for your family in the comments.

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