The Importance of Family Time

WPVI-TV 6ABC Co-anchor, Rick Williams "Sharing the Spotlight" with his family in Moorestown Theater Company's Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (for ticket information, visit http://moorestowntheatercompany.org/ )

The importance of family time

With today's busy lifestyles, many parents and grandparents want to spend more "quality" time with their children or grandchildren. But what is quality time? "Quality time" is time spent doing an activity that is meaningful to the parent and child. It is time when family members really get to know each other. Quality time is spent focusing attention on the other person and sharing thoughts and feelings.

Spending time with our children can be fun and educational for us and for them. Much of the child's basic learning takes place in the many informal situations that occur daily in the life of the family. These informal occasions for learning include all the times the family members are together doing ordinary things, such as getting dressed, talking over the day’s happenings, dealing with problems, interacting with people outside the family, taking baths, eating, and so forth.

The activity does need not be costly, but rather one that satisfies both the parent and the child.
Children need to know they are loved unconditionally. The cry of children today is, "Love me for who I am, not what I do. Love me for being who I am, even when I am naughty, not winning, placing, and showing". That does not mean that you have to approve of everything the child does. What it does mean however, is that even though the child misbehaves, we still love and accept the child and provide support.

Community theater, karate classes, art classes, hobbies, or simply taking a walk can be quality family time.
As an education activist and a master teacher at Mount Laurels' family martial arts center, Dinoto Karate, I don't profess to have all the answers but I do hope that families are inspired by Rick Williams' example of quality family time and you are inspired towards making the most of your family's time together.

This blog is part of Peter Liciaga's community activism effort for the Ultimate Black Belt Test Program ( http://www.ultimateblackbelttest.com/ ), which is an undertaking of The 100. ( http://www.the100.us/ ), and a part of Peter Liciaga's Dream 100 Project.