Family Night: Not Just for Games
The family game night being promoted by a leading game company may have been borrowed from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints-the Mormons. They have been encouraging families to spend one night a week together since 1915. It's fun, it builds unity, and it doesn't have to be religious unless you want it to be. For families with on-the-go teens, it is a way to at least remember what the kids look like, and maybe even to sneak in a little instruction.
There are many ways to hold a family night, depending on your family goals and temperament. Many families hold a business meeting first, in which they do the weekly scheduling, make announcements everyone should hear, recognize achievements and assign chores on a rotating basis. It is also a good time to work out family problems. For example, a family might use the meeting to help them decide on new rules to handle curfew problems, or devise a new chore system. They might work as a family to decide how to cut the budget in order to afford a family vacation.
After the business meeting, many families take advantage of an opportunity to teach their children a brief lesson. This can be a spiritual lesson on topics like prayer, the value of scriptures, or making moral choices. It can also be a practical class, teaching children how to repair a car, cook a dessert, or plan a budget. Don't waste this opportunity. It's a valuable chance to pass on some family values.
Another choice is to teach by doing. What do you want to have happen in the lives of your children? Do you want them to learn service? Plan a family service project to be done on Family Night. Do you want them to learn to value family? Maybe a scrapbooking activity or a trip to a genealogy library will achieve that. Perhaps your concern centers around getting them excited about learning. Try a field trip that is both educational and fun.
After the learning, do something that is fun. Play games, read together, go for a bike ride...anything your family really enjoys. You might even find an activity that relates to the earlier lesson. Finish off with a favorite dessert-there is nothing like the promise of food to make teens willing to attend a meeting.
Family nights can seem like a lot of work, but if everyone shares in the responsibility, it isn't too much to do. Even a three-year-old, paired with an adult or teenager, can help out. Rotate the jobs so that no one gets stuck with the dirty work every time, and everyone grows a little. These jobs will probably be needed:
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