Scheduling family time shouldn’t be an exasperating process that feels joyless and routine. The entire point of having special time to get together and relax is to make it an enjoyable time that everyone looks forward to, every time that it occurs. Whether your schedule allows for family time several times a month or several times a week, there are a few ways to make the occasion fun and special.

Always plan out an activity beforehand – going into family time with no plan can lead to everyone just heading off to their own favorite activity, such as listening to an iPod, playing a handheld game or browsing www.direct.tv for new shows and movies. By providing an engaging idea such as an interactive game or singalong, or even an outdoors walk, everyone will be focused on a common activity which everyone can talk about later. Common activities are the essence of bonding moments, and are the building blocks of great memories. That in mind, don’t let family time turn into television time! While watching television, people’s brains go into a mode that isn’t conducive to interacting with others around them.

Also disturbing the concept of the family get-together are outside influences such as telephone calls and text messages. While we live in a modern era in which these are standard devices for communicating with friends, ground rules need to be set. An easy one for family night is that anyone not present in the room is not invited to intrude for a few hours. This easily prevents your teenage daughter from coming to the gathering with a cell phone stuck to her ear the entire night, as she chats with her new boyfriend all night. Remember that the point of family time is to get everyone out of their routines! By making the night fun-oriented, you’ll maintain interest between family members, and create a night that’s often looked forward to and long remembered.