Prioritizing Family Time with Busy Holiday Schedules

With the holidays quickly approaching and schedules getting busier, it can become harder to prioritize family time. However, setting aside time with your kids is important for emotional well-being, brain development, connection, and creativity. There are many ways to integrate this; it's just about finding what works best for you and your family.

Scheduled Time

One approach is to have a planned time every day, week, or month that the whole family knows is designated family time. The activities for this time could involve discussing plans, celebrating achievements, making a meal together, playing a game, or anything else your family enjoys. Time can also be set aside with no planned activity. This downtime is important for kids with busy schedules and constant structure. Unplanned downtime offers the chance for kids to foster their creativity and recharge. These scheduled family times help create consistent opportunities for connection.

Turn Ordinary Events into Meaningful Ones

Common events throughout your child’s week, such as mealtimes, car rides, and bedtime, are great opportunities for building relationships. Gathering around the table for dinner without distractions offers the chance to check in about their days. Car rides can be a time to engage with your child instead of listening to music or being on phones. For five to 10 minutes before bedtime, allow your child to pick what they want to do together, whether reading a book or snuggling. This is also a great time to ask about their highs and lows of the day, which is an easy and fun check-in that can foster connection and open the doors to intimacy. 

Creating a Shared Calendar

Creating a shared family calendar allows everyone to know the schedule and gives your kids an opportunity to start taking responsibility for their time management. Implementing a shared calendar can allow everyone to be on the same page with other life commitments and prepare your child for what activity is coming next. This promotes accountability and helps prioritize family activities amidst busy schedules. Try a whiteboard in the kitchen or, for older children, a shared online calendar. 

Be Present with No Screens

Finally, across all the activities above, it is important to be fully present. Join your kids in leaving devices in a dedicated place tucked away in your home. Prioritize eye contact, touch, and engagement, which communicates to your child that you see them and appreciate who they are. When it’s so easy for work and home to overlap, model good boundaries. Uninterrupted, unplanned family time is the key to nurturing meaningful connections.

Written by Kaley Jackson, Candidate for Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling