Family is very important to me. It’s actually one of the values that my husband and I both share, which I’m grateful for.
I frequently call my mom to update her on what’s been going on in my life and ask for advice. My husband and I frequently visit both sides of our family to catch up with them and celebrate life’s milestones.
However, between married life and my teaching schedule, it can be a bit of a struggle to keep up and make sure that I am not neglecting them in the midst of the hustle and bustle.
If you’re someone who’s looking for more ways to connect with your family, I’m sharing five ways you can do so starting today, in today’s post!
[bctt tweet=”Six Ways to Connect More With Family and Friends” username=”chickenandbliss”]
ROAD TRIPS
As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, one of my favorite things to do with my husband is travel to places nearby where we live. Even when I was living at home, I loved getting an opportunity to hop in the car and go somewhere.
When my husband and I go for drives, we normally include our favorite playlists and podcasts and hit the road. However, we also spend quite a bit of time talking and discussing some of the things we’re hearing on the podcast. Lately, I’ve been blasting a lot of Taylor Swift and belting some of my favorites. However, most times we’re listening to mystery and political-themed podcasts, but I digress.
One of the many reasons why this is one of the perfect ways to bond is because you’re in a car together for however long you’re on the road for. You’re normally not distracted by other people and have uninterrupted time to talk and enjoy each other’s company.
COOKING NIGHTS
I know I’ve suggested this for previous posts such as my inexpensive date ideas post, but it’s seriously a fun way to connect! Although our kitchen is a bit tiny at the moment, my husband and I still often share the load of cooking by cooking together. He’ll work on one thing while I focus on another. Similarly, when I was living with my parents, I’d cook meals that my mom would help me with on Meatless Mondays. My mom and I got to bond a lot during that time.
[bctt tweet=”Looking for ways to connect with family more? Try holding cooking nights more often!” username=”chickenandbliss”]
DINNER OR BRUNCH DAYS
Although both sides of our families live in different states, we really try hard to divide our time equally between the two of them. In fact, I cannot say which family we see more often because we really do see both a lot.
Whether it’s birthdays, anniversaries, or just random nights out, we try to visit as much as we’re able to without neglecting our own couple time. One of the many ways we spend time with both sides our family is by having dinner or brunch with them. Sometimes these events are scheduled for events such as birthdays, but most of the time they’re random. In either case, it’s a great way for us all to spend time with each other, despite our hectic schedules.
DEVOTIONALS
If you’re a believing family, one way to connect is to have devotionals together. My husband and I frequently use the Bible App provided by YouVersion to look for different plans and devotions. It’s not only a nice opportunity for us to read the word and connect with God, but I feel like I learn a lot through our devotionals together. There are some that are created with verses for those who are married, single, dating, and even children.
MOVIE NIGHTS
Growing up, my family and I would have movie nights nearly every Friday. When stores allowed you to rent movies from them (remember Blockbuster?), my dad would take us all to Blockbuster to rent films for us to watch. We’d order out for dinner, pile up in the living room, and watch the latest films together. I look back on that time and really cherish it and it really became “our time” together as a family.
While yes, the novelty of going to the movie store to rent films has been replaced with the easy access of a television remote, we can still enjoy a movie night in with our family and friends! Order from your favorite take-out place, load up on your movie theatre snacks, pull up your favorite streaming service and decide on a film you’d all like to see together!
TRY SOMETHING NEW TOGETHER
Is there something you’ve been wanting to try, lately? Why not try it with your loved ones?
I know lately I’ve been thinking about taking ballroom dancing classes with my mom, who loves ballroom dancing and is a huge fan of shows like Dancing with the Stars.
What are some of your favorite ways to connect with family?
