I have been listening to podcasts, doing some reading, and following radio programs – all talking about making choices to spend time together ‘face to face’. Could our focus become ‘diminishing the isolation and increasing socialisation to combat individualism?’
Sounds complex, but let’s make this simple.
In a world where we want instant gratification, and an increasing sense of FOMO, how do we just ‘be’ and enjoy our own company and the company of others in building a relational culture?
Modern society demands that we remain busy. As parents we are driving our children to sport, dance, music, tutoring, and the like, most afternoons after school. The demands of working long hours also means many families access after school care. My children would on many occasions be the first ones dropped off at day-care and the last to be collected. The days were long. Some weeks we just get lost in the motions of everyday routines, going from one organised event to another. I hear so often when mingling with friends in school holidays that they are grateful for a break in routine.
So, I’m asking the question – what do we do to ensure our children not only ‘become’ who they potentially can be, but also provide a framework for them to just ‘be’, knowing this is just as important.
As educators, how can we help our families to rest, even for short periods, to ‘be’ together, and strengthen that relational culture with their homes?
Perhaps there is an opportunity for schools to reflect on ways we can support our young people to connect and ‘be’ with their family members on a regular basis, in between the busyness of the term weeks.
Here are a few suggestions we could try…
- Water the garden together
- Plant a herb garden together (pots work well in tiny spaces)
- Groom or play with your pets for 15 minutes
- Play a board or card game
- As a family complete a jigsaw puzzle
- Read a book together, and talk about it afterwards
- Go for a 20-minute walk around the block to talk about your day
- Lay on the grass and look at the clouds passing over. Tell stories of what you imagine you see
- Cook dinner together. Have your child peel the vegetables or prepare the table
- Turn the TV off whilst eating to talk about your days
- Try 5 – 10 minutes of meditation together
- Listen to your favourite music and dance around the house.
I’d love you to add your suggestions in the comments.
Remember, ‘being’ is equally as important as ‘becoming’!
