Family Fun

"by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small 

means in many instances doth confound the wise." Alma 37:6

 Why is having fun as family so important?  It is important enough that the Family Proclamation to The World references having "wholesome recreational activities".  Families are central to God's plan.  Our family is where we learn to love, serve, and support each other.  Laughing, playing, and working together strengthens the bonds between family members.  It is the consistent small things that create a lasting impact.

The demands on our time is never ending.  There is always something to be done.  We must carve out the time to play together and make it a priority.  Family traditions are a perfect way to create activities that bind us together. 

Our Traditions:

Scripture Study and Story books: Our most important family tradition that has been established in our home is daily scripture reading, followed by reading a fun book together.  Reading the scriptures together provides the opportunity to discuss the stories and find answers together.  It just doesn't seem right to not end the day with family scripture study. When my boys were little, they'd each pick out a story they'd like to have read to them after we read our scriptures.  It was fun to laugh and enjoy the story together. Now that their older, we read from a classic book each night. We can learn and talk about the book while we read but also during the day as well. We have bookshelves full of books that we can all look over and remember when we read it together.

Family Home Evening and Family Fun Night: I have so many sweet memories of my boy playing their play instruments for the family night song.  I also remember trying so hard to get through lessons before their attention span ran out.  But, our most anticipated Family Home Evening was the designated Family Fun Night. Each first Monday night of each month is just for games.  The kids get to pick the games and that is all we do.  Whether it's been hide and go seek, Uno, or basketball outside, these have been some of the most fun evenings we've spent together. 

Work: How is work fun?  Families that work together stay together.  Happiness and togetherness can be achieved through working together.  We learn to compromise, teach, and help.  I love to garden with my boys.  I loved watching them be excited to be old enough to push the lawn mower.  Each Saturday is our morning to do house cleaning and yard work.  Because we've remodeled so many homes, they've also learned to the basics of building, and using power tools. Not all days of working together go with laughing and joy, but we learn to do hard things together.  We've learned to have joy in finishing things together.  There is satisfaction in seeing the finished product that we achieved together.

Family Dinners: It's amazing that such a small event can bind us together.  It's not hard to find a study or article on the significance of eating dinner together.  But this is the time we must compare notes and know how each family member's day has been, what homework and projects we each have pending.  To share something that was upsetting and be share concern and love, as well as laugh and enjoy each other.  

When we consistently do the small things together great things are brought to pass.  Our Heavenly Father gave us the precious blessing of our family to help lead and support us through this life.  Traditions have established a habit and being together and needing each other.