Activities to Strengthen Your Family Team - Raising Lifelong Learners

Your family unit is the backbone of your homeschool. There are many habits and activities that can nurture a team mentality, and it’s one of the best things you can do for yourself and your kids to be successful while building a strong, resilient, emotionally intelligent family.

Contributing to the Family

First, make sure that everyone in the family is taking personal responsibility for the things each is and isn’t doing — kids and adults alike. Sit down and have a conversation about what each of you expects from the other and how you can support one another.

For example, I’ve struggled since my head injury last summer. At one point I told my husband that I just don’t have the brain space to do another thing and I really needed his help. We had a conversation about that. Being open and honest, making sure you’re having those conversations, and being on the same page is super important.

We also need to show compassion to ourselves so our kids see that, too.

By modeling self-compassion and acknowledging that we cannot do everything, the kids are able to see opportunities where they can step in and help more.

Even when all are healthy, it requires everyone’s involvement to keep a family working together. Make time to discuss how everyone fits in.

Are kids contributing?

Are they helping out?

Are they taking care of their own things?

Are they participating in family events?

Are adults contributing?

Are each adding to the parenting?

Do you have realistic expectations for one another?

And are you giving each other credit for what each person is doing?

Create a Supportive Environment

Another way to create this team mentality is for everyone in the family to know that each member has the others’ backs. In an environment like that, your family will know they are indeed a team.

You’ll show compassion to your spouse, kids, and will help them show compassion to one another. This will look like validating one anothers’ experiences, what they’re going through, and empathizing with them.

Encourage your kids to tell you about what they’re feeling so that you can use the opportunity to talk with them about how they can be proactive about it any challenges they’re facing.

Also, bring everyone together for a family meeting as often as possible. It’s important to try to have times when your entire family comes together to put your finger on the pulse of the family and solve some problems.

Along these lines, it’s also important to touch base with your family, spouse, and each of the kids.

Ask a few questions:

How are you doing?

What’s going on with you?

Did you want to talk about anything?

Are you getting excited about this weekend?

What do you look forward to?

What’s going on in your life?

How are your friends doing?

Bring Siblings Together

It’s also important to nurture sibling relationships because no one else will be there longer for your kids than their siblings. Let’s help everybody to cheer each other on and lift each other up. I’ve got one kiddo who loves theater, one who’s not so much into theater, but all of us still go to every show at least once during a run to support our passionate performer.

My youngest will be in basketball again. You can believe that one or all of us will be at each of his games, and everybody in the family will go to at least one of his games during the season to cheer him on because it’s important that we support one another.

Each member of your family will have their own loves and interests. Some will overlap, and some will be galaxies apart. Part of being a family team is showing up for someone else, even if it’s an activity you do not enjoy.

This can bring your kids closer to one another, and help to create lasting bonds that will be with them through adulthood.

Fun Family Activities

Incorporating fun into your family culture can help to create strong family bonds.

Play games, go outside, chase the birds, or take the dogs for a walk with your kids. Add fun into your days together.

Schedule a date with your kids or take your kids and their friends out. You see what’s going on with them and how they interact with their friends.

I have several friends that have pizza and family movie night once a week, or some that go out once a month together and do something like a pumpkin farm.

We used to do surprise rides. I would just say it’s time for a surprise ride, go get in the car and they wouldn’t know where we’re going. Sometimes it would be something simple like a walk on the beach or it might be a bigger deal like an overnight to a place like Great Wolf Lodge or Cedar Point.

This can be hard, depending on the season of life you’re in, but try to find time once a month when you take each of your individual kids out. This could be as simple as going for ice cream or a walk. Enjoyable moments will help strengthen the bond you have with each child and build that relationship as they get older.

Just remember, you can totally do this.

You’re already an amazing because you’ve got a vested interest, and nobody’s going to love them like you do.

Raising Lifelong Learners Podcast Episode #210: Activities to Strengthen Your Family Team

Our family unit is the backbone of our homeschool. There are many habits and activities that can nurture a team mentality. It is one of the best things you can do for yourself and your kids to be successful in anything you do and build a strong, resilient, emotionally intelligent family.

In this episode, Colleen gives strategies for helping to strengthen that family unit.

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