By Kaitlynn Christiansen
One of the most popular New Year’s resolutions is to spend more time with our families. With all of the different activities and responsibilities, it can become hard for every family member to even be in the same room at the same time. The importance of family is astronomical. Boyd K. Packer once said, “Family time is sacred time and should be protected and respected.”
With how crazy life is, what could we possibly do to make time for it in our days? We can do bigger things like go on family vacations, or go out on family “date” nights, but sometimes we do not have the time or money for bigger things. Let’s discuss five small changes we can make that can lead to amazing results.
- Eat a Meal as a Family
Eating a meal around the table as a family can be extremely beneficial to cultivating family unity. There have been numerous studies on the benefits of having family meals at least four times a week.
MSU Extension has an article on their website outlining many of those benefits. They say, “Research suggests that having dinner together four times a week has positive effects on child development. Family dinners have been linked to an increased chance of graduating from high school, and a lower risk of obesity, substance abuse, and the development of eating disorders.”
- Put Down Your Cell Phone and Limit Screen Time
We truly underestimate the memories that we miss making because our faces are glued to our phone screens. One of the most simple things we can do to spend more time as a family is to put the screens down and spend some time actually talking to one another.
- Schedule Your Family Time Ahead of Time
If we make the effort to schedule family time, we will be more likely to keep to it. Instead of saying, “let’s hang out sometime this week,” get together and figure out a day when everyone is free. It doesn’t have to be an all day event, but purposely set a day and length of time that you are unavailable for anyone but your family.
- Support Each Other As A Family
If Susan is telling knock-knock jokes at her 3rd grade talent show, show up as a family to support her. One of the most important things a family can do for each other is to simply show up and be there. There are many benefits of being involved in your children’s lives and hobbies. Pam Meyers from the Child Development Institute says that attending a child’s activities can help improve their cognitive and emotional development. It also greatly strengthens the bond between the family members.
- Find a Family Hobby
There are so many activities and hobbies that you can do as a family. You can read a book together, do crafts, play a sport, cook. The list is endless, and the best thing about hobbies is that you can choose one that will work best for your family. Learning something new together will help you get to know each other in a different way. It can deepen relationships as you problem solve and laugh together.
Family time is priceless. As you go through this year, I would invite you to think about different ways you can connect with your family. Communicate and find things that you will all enjoy. Putting in the work now will bring amazing results in the future.
For great ideas on how to connect in deep, meaningful ways with your children, check out our book 30 Days to a Stronger Child.

Kaitlynn Christiansen is an elementary teacher who is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Marriage and Family Studies from Brigham Young University-Idaho. She loves to learn and is passionate about educating families about healthy relationships.
Citations:
MSU, E. X. T. E. N. S. I. O. N. (2022, August 17). The Importance of Family Dinners. HappyHealthy. http://happyhealthy.extension.msstate.edu/dinner-together/importance-family-dinners
Myers, P. (2021, June 10). Why You Should Get Involved in Your Child’s Activities, Hobbies, and School. Child Development Institute. https://childdevelopmentinfo.com/child-activities/why-you-should-get-involved-in-your-childs-activities-hobbies-and-school/
Packer, B. K. (2021). 10 Inspirational Quotes About Family Time. Come Unto Christ. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/belong/family/10-quotes-about-family-time