One of our favorite nights of the week is Monday night. It's our family night. With all of the craziness in our combined schedules it's so nice to have ONE night when we are all home at the same time.
Sometimes it's hard to protect that time, but we've made it a priority since our family is our priority. Our Family Night has turned into one of our favorite traditions!
I wanted a simple way for us to keep track of what we wanted to do for Family Night--with everyone having an important part in it.
So I made {this little} chart about 2 years ago and it has been perfect for us!
The magnets (with jobs on them) rotate around a family photo.
It's easy and simple. It's also expandable.
When I made it, I didn't know how big our family would be. We hoped we would have another baby (coming in December!) and I didn't want it to be too permanent. All we have to do is switch out the family photo and add another job magnet and it's new again!
Ellie recently was included and has a part in the Family Night "job" rotation now (these photos were taken when I first made the chart and she was a few months old.)
So what do we include for family night?
You can put any "jobs" on your Family Night Board.
Right now, our Family Night includes:
Conducting: Welcomes the family and makes sure everyone knows their job.
Prayer: To open the special evening.
Lesson: We usually make these religion oriented, or about listening to mom and dad or any other topic that needs to be addressed as a family. But it depends on who's turn it is, how it turns out!
Activity: Something to do together whether at home or out and about. Sometimes service too.
Treat: A favorite part--and very important!
(We'll add Song choice next with the new baby, it think. Right now the conducting person chooses a song for us to all sing together :)
Some of our favorite family night activities have been doing some very simple things, but it's amazing how meaningful it all becomes. Recently, these are some of the activities we've enjoyed:
- had bubble-blowing contests with big pieces of gum
- searched for statues downtown
- played balloon volleyball in the family room
- went to play music for an elderly friend
- played Angry Birds together
- a family bike ride to the local ice cream shop
- and a nature walk where we saw a {little} family of ducks
If you don't already have family night, you should try it! It's a simple way to stay connected as a family.
We are cherishing the memories that have come from a simple hour or so committed to each other each week!
What you need to
make {this little project}
Frame: I used a shadow box frame and it sits on a shelf, but any frame would work.
Magnetic backing: I used the back side of a metal sign from the dollar store. You could use sheet metal cut to size, or magnetic paint to create the right surface.
Magnets: Mine were from the dollar store :) Any will do!
Labels: Each magnet will need a label. I used stickers I had already for all the lettering. Vinyl lettering or a sharpie would also work great.
Family photo: Any size, depending on the size of your frame.
Here's a close-up. In real life there is no glare from the stickers on the hearts :)
It's been fun to see the kids take on more of the responsibility for our family night as they are getting older. When it's their turn for the lesson they stand up in front of us and talk about something important to them (sometimes it's butterflies/bugs--Jay, or cleaning and dancing--Kay) and then we help them tie it in to a gospel principle/Christ and have them tell us (testimony) how they feel about that principle.
I'm sure their public speaking practice will come in handy sometime too :)
Really, it's just so fun to be together and enjoy being a family.
Family Night is one of those {little} things that really adds up to so much more!
