365 Ways to Live Happy (8 page)

After the dishes are done and the homework has been put away, turn off the television and turn on your creativity. Get out the craft box and create something fun, whimsical, or beautiful with the kids. Quality time with your children is never time wasted. They need time with you to feel loved and wanted. Instead of allowing them to sit in front of the television and get bombarded with undesirable messages, establish an hour of family fellowship and watch them thrive.

When your children are old enough to run around, get out a soccer ball and take it to the yard or park. Children love to participate in activities with their parents. Whether or not you realize it, you are teaching your child even as you play games with him. As you demonstrate a competitive spirit, team cooperation, respect for the rules of the game, and good sportsmanship whether you win or lose, he learns through observation, listening, and participation. So go outside and run around with your kids. If soccer isn't your thing, make up a game. The point is to play, set a good example, and have fun with the little (or not so little) ones in your life.

Get the whole family involved in making a card for that special birthday gal. A sheet or two of colored paper, paste, scissors, colored pens, and some magazines are all you need to make a great, personalized birthday card guaranteed to evoke smiles of appreciation. Find birthday greetings on the Internet or make up your own. Use the magazines for images or words. You may decide that making a card that says exactly what you want is way more fun than perusing dozens of cards on a store shelf. Oh, and since it costs nothing when you already have the materials on hand, you've got another reason to smile.

Spend time with your family playing board games or other types of fun activities that stimulate your children's imaginations. Many studies support the premise that children thrive when they are in a family that spends quality time together. Their bonds to each other and their parents are strengthened as well as their sense of identity and belonging. And you may find that you enjoy the time together just as much as they do. It's just another way to build happy relationships.

Have a family meeting to discuss the reasons for establishing a curfew. Explain to your teen that his life may depend on honoring that curfew. Many American cities and town have legislated curfew times for teens. For example, some communities have established a 6
P.M.
weekend curfew for teens without an adult chaperone. Other cities have partnered with parents to have law enforcement return teens to their homes if caught out and about after curfew and before 6 a.m. A curfew can allow you to rest easier knowing that your responsible teen will be home by a certain time.

Are you the keeper of family photos? Why not create a scrapbook with your children and spouse to trace your family's lineage and document births, deaths, marriages, and other important events? During this process, you can teach your children about their ancestry, perhaps inspire one of them to write a report on a famous ancestor, or learn about vital health history. A scrapbook can contain pages with old letters, documents, deeds, and other keepsake documents. You'll not only have hours of fun working on it and sharing it with relatives on celebratory occasions and holidays, you'll feel a sense of pride and joy at knowing the details of your family's lineage.

Before a parent, grandparent, great aunt, or great uncle gets any older, ask him or her to join you for a videotaped chat. Make it informal and begin with easy questions that can serve as points of departure into his story. When were you born? What town, village, or city? What country? Who were your parents? What kind of work did they do? Then ask open-ended questions. Tell me about your earliest memories? What was life like for you growing up in your town? Ask questions about certain periods in his life such as preadolescent, teen, young adult, middle age, and golden years, for example. Long after he has passed away, you can relive those moments and feel joyful that you took the time to make the video.

Some days, it seems that everybody is clamoring for your attention. But when it comes to family members, it's important that you give it to them. Ten minutes often is not enough to really get started talking, but it shows your loved ones that you care deeply about what troubles them and that you want to help. Even if your help is just listening to them vent, do it. You can always set aside another ten minutes to continue the discussion at a later time. Consider the alternative. Brushing them aside for more urgent matters sends the wrong signal. Make time for loved ones before they leave your nest. Isn't it true that you are happiest when you know that they are happy too?

Kids are so imaginative that if you give them a big box, some wooden spoons, and a few stuffed animals, they will use the items to create an imaginary world with themselves as characters. Help them turn on their imaginations. Ask each child to make up a new game for the family to play together. If there are too many games for one afternoon or evening, give each child a special night on which her game will be played. Have fun, get into the role that's created for you, giggle along with them, and feel the loving bond between you growing.