One of the biggest challenges involved with family time is finding things that everyone wants to do. That doesn't just mean a shared destination where everybody branches out to do their own thing. It means something that the entire family will do together.
That's a tall order, of course. Finding something with broad appeal to kids of a variety of ages as well as adults is difficult. It needs to be sophisticated enough for adults without being over the kids' heads, and simple enough for the youngest to enjoy without boring the oldest.
There are a lot of different directions you can go. Things like exercise can be fun for everyone, with varying activities and goals designed to suit each person's individual tastes.
Bring The Entertainment To You
Many families see technology as the wedge that's driving them apart. But fortunately, it can also be the glue that binds them together. For everything that cell phones do to isolate family members, other technology can bring them back together.
Movies and television are a perfect example. The improvements in data transmission as well as the upgrades in video and audio equipment have made it possible to enjoy an amazing array of programming with incredible pictures and sounds. Getting started is simple. Find DIRECTV packages that match your tastes--movies, sports, kids' programming, educational networks, whatever you choose--and start planning time together.
Go Find The Entertainment
Of course, no one wants to spend all night every night at home watching TV. There are still great options for you to enjoy outside the home as well.
It remains an exciting time for Hollywood, with great movies turning out all the time. There's no doubt that many of today's leading ladies and gentlemen are headed for legendary status, and with such amazing technology to create entire worlds for these actors to perform in, the offerings at today's cinemas are like nothing we've ever seen.
What's great about all entertainment is that there are so many historically-driven stories. Before going to see "Hidden Figures", read up on Dorothy Vaughan and Katherine Johnson, and the space program in general. Give yourselves some context about what you are about to see, so that the story really hits home and connects with you in a real way.
Take Inspiration
TV and movies have a remarkable ability to inspire people to take action. After the movie "Top Gun" was released, the U.S. Navy saw a big surge in enlistment, thanks to the positive portrayal of the pilots in the movie.
Entertainment can make you move in other ways, too. Documentaries spur political change. A movie with an intriguing location can trigger people to travel there. Look at the increased interest in forensics brought on by television shows like the "CSI" and "NCIS" families.
Don't let the rolling credits end the experience for your family. Follow through on what your entertainment motivates you to do. If your kids ask questions, find a way to answer them. Visit a new city or go to a historic site. Let your kids shadow someone who does the kind of work shown in their favorite shows. Let entertainment change your life for the better.
Creating good quality time with your family isn't a one-shot deal. You can plan a single event, but it will live far beyond the time you spend directly doing it. A concert could bring attention to a social issue that gets you and your kids thinking about how you can help. A movie can highlight an environmental crisis that hits home with you.
Take that and run with it. It not only allows you to do something positive with the time you have with your family, it also builds your relationship as you travel, work, play, or volunteer together. And that makes your entertainment into something far more valuable than just whiling away a few hours.