EduNews Magazine EduNews Dec2013/Jan2014 | Page 28

Reasons for bringing the family together over the festive season: 1 Belonging to my family is special 2 Memories to treasure for a lifetime 3 Strengthen a healthy family bond 4 Create excitement for the years to come 5 Create happy children with hearts of goodness It is a feeling that fills our hearts and beings to the core. It makes room for comfort and warmth, and is something that every child deserves to feel and experience. These memories will help shape and strengthen your family and will furthermore be a topic of discussion at the dinner table for years to come, to laugh about and to cry about. Quality time with family members such as engaging in long talks over breakfast, laughter during outdoor activities and just having fun brings a family together. Children automatically feel safer and appear to be happier when there is a sense of closeness and togetherness. Children get overly excited and motivated when the year draws to an end, knowing that soon they will be spending time with the family where a fun-filled family festival is waiting. Spending quality time with the family creates the opportunity for teaching our loved ones and our children that family is valuable and that the special moments we share with them in the limited time available should be treasured in our hearts. 28 • • December 2013/ January 2014 It is normal for a family to decide to stay at home for the festive season and not to join the extended family. You and your children should sit and establish what exactly you want to do and where you want to go if the opportunity arises. Quality time spent together is of vital importance in the close family group as it helps you to bond with your children on a different level where there is no pressure from work. Children get to see a more relaxed parent and thus they also relax more. Ask your children what they like and dislike about the festive season, what they would want to do again, or if they would like to explore something new. Things you can do together as a family: • Decorate the house for the festive season as a family or let the children do it on their own. • Make it a team effort to get a tree for the house and decorate it together as a family.