Adventures in Parenting

“Get off the computer!” “Don’t watch so much TV! ” “Stop playing video games!”

Then what are they suppose to do?

You want the children off those electronic devices in order to do what?

We would like our family to spend time together and enjoy each other’s company instead of each member doing their own things and acting like mere roommates.

And that means you as the parent need to get off the computer too! And stop talking on the phone. And stop reading your magazines.

But family time doesn’t have to be a big deal.

Here are 3 things that families can easily do together:

1. Take a walk. Sure, your teenagers don’t want to go for a walk. But if you make it a part of your family routine, everyone needs to join in for a bit of exercise. Have a set them, say after dinner from 7:30-8:00pm. Assure them they will only be out for 30 minutes. Leave the cell phones or IPods at home. Make sure there is no negative conversation during the walk. It is not a time to talk to your child about his low grades, or bad behavior. Tell jokes, funny stories, talk about the houses you see and the cars passing by. The tone should be positive every time, so that the walk is associated with having an enjoyable family time together.

2. Go get ice cream, or some kind of dessert. We like to go to the market and have everyone pick out what they want. It’s cheaper and there is more variety. One of you might be in the mood for a Twinkie while another might want a slice of cheesecake. If there is a store within walking distance, taking a walk and doing it the Green way without a car is even better.

3. Get out the board games. What games can you play that will suit the varied ages in a family? Here is one of my favorites:

It’s more of a game of chance than of skill, so the youngest is not at a disadvantage.

Card games like Old Maid and Go Fish are also good ones that does not require great skill.

Yes, the older ones have to play along. But once the games gets going, everyone will learn to have fun as a family.