Make Every Night a Family Night

In today’s day and age families are all too busy. They seem to go in so many different directions at the same time. Parents believe that if they keep their children’s days full of activities that they will not get into trouble. The lives of the family members are so busy that they have no time for family time. Through the many years I have spent in the ministry, I have been amazed at how many godly Christian families don’t even sit down together for one meal a week! I don’t mean sitting in front of the TV, I mean sitting down to a meal around the kitchen or dining room table. With our family it has always been our evening meal, dinner. It gives us a chance to know what is going on in each other’s lives. It is a time to ask how their day was, what’s coming up, or just having a conversation with one another. We all look forward to this time together and if one of us is unable to attend they feel left out and can’t wait until the next day.

Another family night tradition our family has is game night. At least twice a month (or more) we all come together to play games. Sometimes my husband will set up his portable movie screen and projector and we will make popcorn and sit around and watch a movie together. Our grandson loves these special nights. He has changed the name from Family Night to Club Kool. He even made up rules and had us sign a contract! What a great kid!

Our family is far from perfect. We have had our trials, and tribulations. Unfortunately we learned the hard way through trial and error. Through it all we have held on to the truth and promise found in Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” It’s not the responsibilities of teachers, babysitters, or coaches to raise our children. They are just added resources to assist us, but the training is our responsibility as parents. Part of the training happens during family time, family time that is true quality time. If your family is too busy to spend even one meal a week together (and I’m being real generous here), then you and your husband need to sit down and pray and decide what’s more important, the extracurricular activities or quality family time. There is nothing wrong with those extracurricular activities that your children are involved in, but if there are so many that you can’t even find time to be together at home as a family once a week then it’s time to re-evaluate. What your children need the most is YOUR time! YOUR attention! I am talking from 32 years of experience as a parent and grandparent. My husband works two jobs (pastor and school teacher), and I used to work full time outside of the home and then come home and work alongside my husband in the ministry. I am ashamed to admit that many of our daughters formative years were spent serving the ministry, and not taking care of the most precious ministry that God had bestowed on us - raising our daughter. From my heart to yours – take care of the most precious gifts God has given you. What your children really want and need are YOU!