How important is your family to you

Why Spending Time With Family is More Important Than You Think

Amidst the busy work life, take out time for the family and reconnect once in a while.

Specialty: Marriage and Family Therapist

Dr. Domonique Rice began her career in the banking industry but eventually moved to counseling and therapy. She did her Masters in Marital, Couples, and Family Therapy and a doctorate in Advanced Studies in Human Services. She runs her priv. more

Sanjana did her graduation in Pharmacy from Andhra University and post graduation in management from GITAM Institute of Management. It was during her first job, she recognized her skills in writing an. more

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Spending time with family can never be a luxury but a necessity. As Barbara Bush rightly said, “At the end of your life, you will never regret not having passed one more test, not winning one more verdict, or not closing one more deal. You will regret time not spent with a husband, a friend, a child, a parent.” According to research, time spent with family plays an important role in our developmental process. It is a driving force behind a healthy relationship between wife and husband and parents and children (1). This post tells you about family time, including why it is so important, how much time you should spend, and different ways to spend time with your family.

Why You Should Spend Time With Your Family

You need to spend time with your spouse and children to strengthen the relationships. In fact, research shows that the higher the frequency of shared time, the better the marital stability and happiness (2). Moreover, your kids will learn to respect your sacrifices, show affection towards each other and grow up into healthy individuals.

Here we tell you how family bonding can help the couple, the parents and children.

Importance Of Family Time For Couples

Partners are like the roots of the family tree. They need to support and nourish the tree so that it stays firm, grows and blossoms. This is possible only when they have a strong and loving relationship between them. Here is how it helps.

Importance of Family Time For Children

The benefits you reap by spending time with your family are too good to be ignored. But does that mean that you have to spend hours together with them, or just make a casual 10-minute breakfast meet and get done with it?

How Much Time Should You Spend With Your Family?

You may spend 45 minutes to one hour daily and four to five hours during the weekends. It depends on your convenience and the family’s schedules. You would not want to disturb their bedtime or learning time and similarly, you cannot afford to ignore your work to spend unending time with the family.

But make sure you are not spending the time just for the sake of it. When you say family time, it must strictly be between you and your family – no office work, TV or smartphones in between. So, should you just keep talking all the time or can you do something else together?

How To Spend Time With Your Family?

You do not always need to go to Disneyland or get together only on holidays to have quality family time. While annual vacations are enjoyable, there are other effective ways to spend time quality with your family. We have listed the most basic and important ways to spend time with your family:

If you are not in a situation to spend much time with your family due to other obligations, then do your best to be there with them as often as possible. If you are away from them, call them up every day, and talk even if you do not have anything important to say. These efforts are necessary because not spending time with your children might have some adverse effects on them.

What Would Happen If You Are Not Spending Time With Your Child?

Consider this: You can buy an expensive birthday gift for your child, but does it give them happiness if you are not there for their birthday? No. While it is essential to work hard and provide for your family, spending quality time with them is essential too. Here are some of the adverse effects of not spending time with children:

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What does spending time with your family mean?

Spending time with your family means you care about them. In this digital age, staying connected to your loved ones and catching up on each other’s life is not hard. You may spend ample time with them virtually through voice and video calls or text messages. Communicating frequently with family helps foster the bond and improves the quality of life.

2. Why is family important for happiness?

Spending time with family members makes you feel safe and secure. The love of family is unconditional and helps you face challenges in life. Families also take care of a person’s basic needs and provide financial and emotional support, contributing to happiness.

Today, when most people are running behind worldly things, the importance of family relationships has taken a backseat. However, ignoring spending time with family may have adverse effects on people. You may someday regret the missed time and yearn for the company of your loved ones. So, understand the importance of family time and make it your priority in life. Spend time celebrating occasions, eating together, doing chores, or going on dates. Quality time spent together creates a loving environment at home, teaches family values to children, and keeps bonds strong.

10 Reasons Why Family Is Important

Everyone is born into a family, but not everyone gets a healthy one. For those who aren’t privileged to have a good birth family, they often create a chosen family later on. Why is family important? What kind of impact does it have on a person in their childhood and as an adult? Does it matter to society as a whole? Here are ten reasons why family is important:

#1. Families set the stage for future relationships

The very first relationships a child has is with their parents and any siblings. Whether healthy or not, these relationships provide a model for what future relationships will look like. It’s often not a conscious decision, but for better or worse, people often choose partners and friends based on how similar they are to their family. Family dynamics repeat themselves and reinforce beliefs about relationships and self.

#2. During challenging times, people need a family they can rely on

When life gets hard, people need support. This can be emotional and/or financial support. Someone going through rough times will turn to their family if they trust them to provide encouragement and love. Feeling accepted and understood during a personal crisis is a basic need for people. Families – whether traditional or chosen – can provide that.

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#3. Families can be an essential source of affection and encouragement

In good or bad times, families can provide the affection and encouragement a person needs to be content. It can be difficult to find friends or purpose in adulthood. If a person has a strong family, they’ll always be able to find the love and support they need. With their family behind them, a person will find the motivation and courage for success. On the other side, if a person isn’t getting love and support from a family structure, they’ll feel lonely, depressed, and even hopeless.

#4. Families foster a sense of belonging to something greater than oneself

Families are hubs of tradition. Many families carry on traditions through the years by sharing stories from the past. This creates connections with family members that aren’t around anymore. A person who grows up in this type of family feels like they belong to something bigger than themselves. They’ll pride in being a member of a community that’s gone through hardships and triumphs.

#5. People raised in close families develop healthier relationships throughout their lives

Research supports that people from close-knit families go on to enjoy close relationships later in life. Psychological Science published a long-running study in 2016 that looked at men’s relationships. Researchers learned that men who grew up in nurturing families developed stronger relationships than men who didn’t have accepting families. They managed their emotions well and maintained a closer connection with their partners.

#6. Family relationships are linked to a person’s mental health

There have been many studies on the importance of family time, specifically dinner time. While families can still be healthy even if they don’t eat dinner together every night, there is a correlation between this time together and a young person’s wellbeing. In Pediatrics, one study discovered that kids who ate with their families regularly were less likely to show depression symptoms. On the other side of the spectrum, research shows that negative family relationships can trigger or worsen mental health issues.

#7. Quality time with family is linked to better academic performance

The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University conducted a series of studies on family dinner time. One study showed that kids who eat dinner with their family less than three times were twice as likely to get Cs or below in school. On the other hand, kids who had family dinners 5-7 times a week did much better. Of course, there are other factors at play, but families that value dinners together likely value other positive family interactions.

#8. Families teach important life lessons

Families are the first place where children learn how to manage their emotions, interact with others, and communicate. It’s also the first setting where kids learn about consequences, either positive or negative. Parents are responsible for guiding their children, providing life lessons that will be remembered for years to come. These lessons form a big part of a person’s worldview and how they believe the world works.

#9. Families teach values

Along with life lessons, people learn a value system within their family structure. They learn what their family defines as right or wrong, as well as what’s important to the community. These values become ingrained and form a foundational part of a person’s identity. Values affect how a person treats others, how they view themselves, and what they see as their purpose in life.

#10. Healthy families form the backbone of a healthy society

When families are strong, communities are strong. That naturally leads to a strong society. The definition of a “healthy” or “good” is often the subject of heated debate. Countless studies have explored the impacts of adoption, LGBTQ+ relationships, families with multiple ethnicities, and so on. Why? Society is deeply invested in the strength of families because there’s a domino effect. If families aren’t doing well, a nation will suffer. If families are happy and healthy, the nation benefits.

What Is The Importance Of Family In Modern Society?

Life has changed so much for most of us in the modern world. With the advancement of technology, changing cultural norms, new priorities, and new forms of communication fueled by the Internet, it’s natural to wonder what the importance of the family is. Is it a dying institution that has no place in modern life? Well, of course not. Family is just as relevant as it ever was if not more. No matter how much life changes in the future, it will probably continue to be needed in one form or another.

The Definition of Family Has Evolved, but Its Importance Remains

The traditional definition of «family» entailed one man and one woman who were married, and their children. A grandparent might live with and be a part of the family, too, although that practice isn’t as popular in recent times. In the 1950s, the ideal family was a father, a mother, and two offspring. The current definition is somewhat open and inclusive—and there are many different types of family. A family might be two parents of any gender, married or not. Some people even have a family with more than three parents. The children may have been born to one of the parents, both parents, or adopted.

The Benefits of Being in a Healthy Family Have Increased

As modern life puts pressure on all of us, the benefits of living in a family are more important than ever. Here is a list of some of the benefits.

Helps meet basic needs

The basic social unit called the family is tasked with meeting the basic needs of those family members who can’t provide for themselves. This includes minors, the elderly and disabled, or simply those who can’t afford to live by themselves. Basic needs such as food, water, shelter, and clean air are accessible when one or more members can provide these things for the whole family.

Allows you to Belong to Something

Many years ago, Abram Maslow created a diagram called the ‘Hierarchy of Needs.’ This hierarchy showed which needs were most crucial to humans. The wide base of Maslow’s pyramid diagram represented the basic needs mentioned above, which must be met first. On the next level up are the security needs followed by the love and belonging needs. Families spend so much time and energy supporting each other through difficult times because of the bonds they’ve created and nurtured since the time each of them became a part of the family.

Financial Security

A well-functioning family provides financial security for everyone living in the household. First, family members who can work contribute at least a part of their earnings to help the family meet everyone’s needs and wants. Second, the family combines resources to pay bills and manage their money to ensure that financial necessities are always taken care of.

Built-in Support System

Many people have found themselves with great news but no one to tell it to. That’s a problem one rarely has when living in a family. People who are in healthy families have access to everyday joys that some people don’t have. In addition, everyone has hard times. A healthy family has each other’s back. When family members are under stress, someone close to them is most likely to see the symptoms that they’re struggling with. People may hide their problems with others, but their family most often already understands. Even if they don’t condone someone’s actions, they love unconditionally. They’re there for family members.

Health Benefits

Children enjoy a healthy lifestyle when they live in a healthy family. They have healthy meals, are encouraged to get up and move, enjoy time outdoors, and get prompt medical attention when needed. Health benefits exist for parents, too. Research has shown that people who live with children in their family tend to live longer, even after the children have grown up and moved away. This may be because parents tend to eat healthier food, quit smoking, reduce their drinking, quit using drugs, and may even stay more active compared to their childless peers.

Provides Support When One of Them Is Ill

Facing medical problems alone can be a nightmare. Family potentially helps solve all these problems and can make sure that food, water, rest, and medical care is provided. Society may not have to do anything to take care of a person’s basic needs because a family already has that covered.

The Community Benefits

The community benefits when the family relieves it of the burden of supporting members of that family. Healthy families produce people who make positive contributions to the community too. Parents tend to get involved with their community more often than people living alone. What’s more, they teach their children at a young age that the only way they can control what kind of community they have is to contribute to it. When parents contribute to their community by donating money or needed supplies, they model an attitude of caring. They show their children that providing money, food, or supplies to the community helps support it so it can serve everyone better. Parents contribute to society by working to ensure that their family gets the best possible educational opportunities. They may donate funds, or they may use their social network to help a college-age student find a job. Their emotional and practical help might be even more important than financial support.

The Importance of Family in Educating Children

One of the most important ways parents contribute to society is by educating their children. The learning doesn’t go just one way, either. In a healthy family, learning has a high priority, perhaps just after meeting basic needs. Talking around the dinner table, family members often share their political views. They may discuss the issues in an upcoming election or the qualifications of a candidate. This inspires everyone to find out more about the people and ideas involved so they can make an informed decision when it’s their turn to vote.

Parents begin teaching their children as soon as they’re born. They may help them learn to walk and teach them new words as they develop their vocabulary. They potty-train them, teach them manners, and take advantage of learning opportunities in everyday life. Best of all, they pass on a love of learning that will serve the child well throughout their life. Most parents are equipped in different ways when it comes to helping their children learn after they go to school. They can encourage scholarship and ethical behavior, as well.

When becoming a parent, solving all children’s disagreements can be a massive chore. One of the ways parents cope is to teach their children how to resolve their conflicts on their own. Parents teach their children right from wrong and encourage them to follow the laws of the land unless disobeying a specific law will benefit society. Families often work together to get household chores done. Every task they do together teaches them more about what it’s like to work as a team to accomplish group goals.

All Families May Struggle Sometimes

Even though families have many benefits, they can sometimes be challenging. You may need a little support to get through your days, which is entirely understandable. For instance, if you are not happy with your significant other, it may lead to depression and divorce. It is better to be honest about your views on your family before settling down with someone. This limits these things from happening.

You should also consider having a trusted friend that you can talk to about your problems, or simply taking some me-time occasionally, for when you need a little break from your home life. This is something that will lower your stress and allow you to access your values and focus on what’s important.

Seeking Help

Of course, not all families contribute to societies equally. Some are slightly dysfunctional, while others harm their family members so much that society must step in and take on responsibility for those children.

So, what do you do if your family doesn’t support you? First, understand that you can overcome the damages caused by a dysfunctional family, abusive or neglectful parents, or disrespectful children. Talking to a counselor is an excellent way to get in touch with your feelings about family and to learn to express those feelings appropriately. You can learn to understand the family influences that shaped your personality. Your counselor can teach you techniques for changing your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors to be the person you most want to be, despite what your family has done to you. Licensed counselors are available for this and other mental health challenges at BetterHelp. Here are reviews of counselors, from people experiencing different family issues.

Counselor Reviews

«I am THRILLED with Rachel and with BetterHelp! It is affordable, I am a single mom with 4 kids on a tight budget and a LOT of stress, and this format makes it easy to get help. I LOVE that I can write my feelings to her whenever I am having them, not have to wait a week for the next session. She is very insightful, and I am thankful!»

Conclusion

The importance of family will likely never change. It is something precious, although it may also leave you feeling like you need additional support. If you are experiencing family problems, or if you’re simply looking to strengthen your family life, remember that help is always available. Don’t suffer alone, when it is so easy to talk to someone who’ll listen.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are the function of family in modern society?

The function of the family in today’s modern society is multi-functional. Family in the modern age provides individual family members with the basic necessities required to have a healthy and happy life. People who have a healthy family structure in modern society can live healthier and more productive lives than people who have no family structure or those who have a dysfunctional «nuclear family».

How are families defined in today’s society?

The «nuclear family» in modern society is normally defined by two adult heads of household although many of today’s families consist of single-parent families. The head of household of families in modern society usually consists of a husband and wife, however, this may not always be the case in contemporary society. Healthy family structures in modern society are believed to have a base that consists of two adult heads of household, children, and extended relatives like grandparents (who are no longer able to function on their own).

What is a modern extended family?

The extended family in modern society can include family members in the family structure that aren’t a part of the nuclear family. These extended family members often include aunts, uncles, and cousins who spend time together participating in family activities and sharing important moments in family life. The modern extended family also provides comfort, support, shelter, and financial support for members outside of the nuclear family

Is family a society?

The modern family structure can be considered as an individual society in itself. The nuclear family has a distinct set of rules and values that apply to their individual family lives that may not apply to other family types or in people in society. For example, single-parent families who have independent family structures may bond over their similarities and come together to create a support network for other single-parent families.

Why family is important in society?

Having a solid family structure in modern society is critical to ensure the health and well-being of all members of the family. Family in the modern age can be counted on to provide shelter and safety from harm that may come from outside of the nuclear family structure.

What are the 6 functions of a family?

What is the ideal family?

The ideal family in modern society is consists of nuclear two-parent families with children. Families in western societies focus on maintaining the health and well-being of all members of their family structures. In modern society, this care comes in the form of food, shelter, financial support, education, and health care.

What makes a good family?

When it comes to finding a «good» family in modern society, two-parent families, families that support each other, and family structures that maintain the basic needs and wants of every member of the nuclear family.

What makes a strong family?

Looking at strong family structures in modern society you’ll find that family in the modern age offers critical support for each other in the areas of health, wellness, education, and emotional support. A strong family in modern society will support each other through good times and bad. This includes offering medical health support and mental health support as a component of everyday family life.

What is the most important function of a family?

Some of the most important functions of the family in modern and contemporary society are to protect each other from harm, provide shelter, physical support, and emotional support. Family life in the modern age takes care of each individual family member needs to make sure all members of the nuclear family are functioning at top capacity.

What defines a family?

In modern society, the family is considered as groups of people who share family life and live in the same household together. The nuclear family is a small circle of family members that you spend time with every day. An example of people who are included in family life in the modern age is a two-parent household, children, pets, and possibly extended family members like grandparents who can no longer live on their own.

How does family help society?

Family in the modern age contributes to the larger part of modern society by producing citizens that contribute to the workforce and well-being of others. This affects the larger part of modern society ad well-adjusted people who have had a stable family life can pass on their positive values, behaviors, and support to others in society that may be lacking in these areas.

What is the responsibility of family?

The responsibility of a family in the modern age and modern society is to meet the needs of themselves and their family members on a daily basis. This means that family in the modern age provides for feeding, clothing, sheltering, and educating themselves and their family members in an effort to keep pace with modern society.

What is the importance of family?

Family in the modern age provides the foundation for all family members to build on for the rest of their lives. People who don’t have the love and support of a family in the modern age often fare worse than those who have the love and support of family in modern society. Many people in modern society suffer from mental health issues as a result of not having the right family support.

What are the characteristics of a family?

The characteristics of a family in modern society include a group of people who live together most of the time and share life experiences and circumstances as a unit. Family members in modern society support each other in every capacity including physical, emotional, financial, and spiritual.

FAQs

What is the importance of family in modern society?

Family is considered as one of the most important units of society because it contributes to child-rearing and your place in adulthood. Also referred to as anuclear family, itprovides necessary forms of support that are significant to your emotional, mental and physical wellbeing. The family also contains aspects of protection and guidance to help you live in society.

Concerning modern society, a nuclear family has a mother, father, and children that signifies a single unit.The nature of a nuclear family helps develop personal character and values that contribute to individual decision-making and how you choose to live life.A single-parent family provides the same aspects through one parent. People considered extended family also add to the importance of how a family contributes to society.

What is the role of family in education?

A nuclear family plays a critical role in education because it reinforces beliefs related to different areas of life and society. Having a good mother-father relationship helps children understand the importance of education and life lessons. There are lessons learned throughout life-related to social, emotional, and academic elements to help nuclear family members connect and meet people outside of the family. Other family aspects or types of families, including single parent and extended family, also play a collaborative role with educators to participate and improve the educational needs of nuclear family members and their communities.

What is the relationship between family and society?

Family is considered a substantial aspect of socialization and influencing societal growth. Families develop values that contribute to society. A nuclear family helps prepare and guide their children to be providing members to their communities. Children learn essential aspects such as responsibility, obedience, and respect while understanding what is expected of them in their communities or wherever they want to be in life when pursuing goals.

Society influences the roles of family members, including people considered extended family. Extended family members are blood relatives of a biological parent. For example, your mother’s sister is your aunt, and if she has children, they are your cousins. Many households where children live include a mother father lead unit. Others may have a biological parent with a stepparent that also plays a role as the essential function of the family. A family may also have where children live with one parent.

A nuclear family helps each other understand how to assist others outside of the family and how to take advantage of opportunities leading to personal, professional, and community growth. A single-parent family helps children in the same way with children likely recognizing how a single parent assumes a dominant role in guiding their children as the drive behind the function of the family.

Why is family the smallest unit of society?

Top 4 Reason Why Family Is Important In Our Life

Why family is important in your life? It is a good question to ask yourself. Because you are not here without your mom and dad. I strongly recommend you, after reading this whole post, just ask yourself “why family is important in your life”.

The family is your blood and only the family members can accept you for who you are. The family would do anything to see you smile and love you no matter what. Your family is the one and only place where your life begins and love never ends.

You may have lots of people in your life, but you won’t find a single person who cares the most exactly same as your parents. Would you agree with me? Some of you may not agree with me, but this is the truth and one day you will realize this on your own. Actually, most of us don’t know the importance of family and how each of the family member impact on us.

Basically, most of you may know the importance of your family. But you guys never know, there are some families living together without any love or affection between each other. I hope, this post will help such people and get back them into a happy family life.

There are many reasons why a family is important in everyone’s life. Through this post, I’m going to line up only four important reasons why a family is important in your life.
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Why Family Is Important?

1. Family Make Children Future
A family is the only place where children learning a lot after the school. In school, teachers taught children about the subjects which will help them to find a good job in future. But in the home, Family taught children about habits, discipline, behavior which do not only help them to find a good job but also help them to live a great life in future. This is the main reason why the family is important for kids.

When babies come out from mother’s womb, first they see their parents and thereafter they spent most of the time with their family until going to school. Those three to four years is really important for babies to get to know some basic habits from parents, sisters, and brothers.

In fact, during the first three years, your baby’s brain triples in weight and establishes about 1000 trillion nerve connection. In this period they get to know many things from their family especially from their mom and dad. I strongly believe none of you going to teach bad habits to your baby.

2. Family Stays With You In Any Situation
This is one of the great advantages of family and many of us never realize this at any time.

You may have lots of friends or relatives or office mates. They will definitely be with you in your happy times or any successful achievements. But, your parents, sisters, and brothers are the only ones will stay with you in your hard and difficult times. In very rare situation your friends and/or relative stands with you in your hard times. But your family members will always stand with you.

Do you know what? your mom and dad are the only ones who understand you much more than anyone else in the world. Because they are your creators and the only ones traveling with you from the beginning. So they understand your feelings and always there for you whenever you need someone abundantly. This is the power of family.

There are many people can help you, but the family will help you whenever you are alone.

3. Family Make Better Society
A perfect family is a great example of the whole society. Do you agree with me?

Father, mother, children all of them have to work in order to build a perfect family. If any of them failed then the whole family collapsed. Many families face this situation very much nowadays. The good name of the whole family ruined by a single member of the family. That is really sad but it is a bitter truth.

Every family member should work hard and build an optimal family. This will not only make a happy family but also make a good society. A good family will impact very much in a society and a society will impact very much in the country. So an ideal country not only builds by the government but also each and every family member.

Each family is the principal key to the society. This is one of another good reason why the family is important in our life.

4. Family Celebrates Your Happiness
This is one more important reasons why the family is important in our life. You are living in the 20th century and not in the 18th or the 19th-century. Before people don’t care about rich or poor and they never worry about educated or uneducated. But this 20th century is different. People communicate each other with their standard.

Jealousy is the cheapest thing which you can see everywhere in this world. If you are richer, or more educated, or beautiful, or handsome, or get promotions, or buy a costly car, or buy a house people get jealous of you. In short, if you are happy then some people get jealous on you.

But the family is something different and it is a God’s gift. They never jealous of you, instead they encourage when you pass every step. Moreover, they celebrate with you in your every happy moment. Especially parents always looking forward your every advance steps. This is why the family is important in your every step.

So what do you think of these top four reasons why family is important in your life? As I mentioned earlier, now do ask yourself “why family is important in your life”. Once you think hard, definitely you will realize the importance of your family.

Even though there are many more reasons, these are the best reason why a family is important in our life. If you know any other good reasons why a family is important, write that in the comment box below which will help many readers. Also, you can share this post with friends and family by clicking one of the social share buttons below.

The Top Ten Benefits Of Spending Time With Family

Posted on: March 17, 2020 | Dr. Todd Thatcher

Do you ever ask yourself why is family important? In our world of pervasive screen time and social media, many of us have actually become less social in the ways that are not only beneficial, but essential to our mental and physical well-being. A Cigna study from the American Journal of Health Promotion indicated that excessive social media use is one of the biggest risk factors for loneliness.

We need in-person interactions to reap the full benefits of social connection. Those who experience less loneliness cultivate meaningful relationships, including a social network and a committed relationship.

What are the advantages of having a family?

Why is family important? Some advantages of having a family are increased happiness and satisfaction. Studies have shown that spending time with family can help reduce stress and anxiety, lead to a healthier lifestyle and lengthen your life. Family gives you motivation to be the best version of yourself. At Highland Springs you can enroll in family counseling where there are trained therapists that specialize in helping to restore family relationships.

Why is family so important?

Family is so importan t because of all the love and support it provides. Being with family helps construct principles and improves overall mental health. Spending time with family is key to a person’s development as it promotes adaptability and resilience. Such key lessons can only be taught by family members coaching each other regarding life’s ups and downs. Family is what makes us who we are.

The benefits of spending time with family is such a critical component of a full, meaningful life. Remember, family doesn’t necessarily have to be considered blood relatives. Close friends, a guardian, or step siblings are well within the realm of who you consider family. Here is a list of benefits that may answer the question, “Why is family important?”

Health Benefits of Spending Time with Family

Improves Mental Health

When we spend time with family—especially face-to-face communication, as opposed to digital—it significantly reduces the occurrence of depression, anxiety, and other mental illness. Being physically present with loved ones creates a strong emotional support to buoy you up through life’s challenges.

Helps Children Perform Well Academically

On average, kids who are spending time with family, tend to do better in school. They learn communication skills and the importance of education. When needed, assisting with assignments or new concepts reinforces the fact that their success is important to you. Even just asking about their day and what they’re learning will show your children how much you care.

Lowers Risk Of Behavioral Problems

Children who are spending time with their family have shown less risk of behavioral issues, such as violence and substance abuse. When they receive positive attention for positive behaviors, it increases their desire to continue those healthy patterns. Being with family and doing activities together also provides an outlet for pent-up emotions that could otherwise lead to unhealthy decisions. Family is so important when it comes to a child (or teenager) bringing problems to you, because your advice can allow them to become better equipped to cope with problems and make positive choices.

Boosts Self-Confidence

Spending time with family builds confidence for all of its members. Parents can teach children to build self-esteem through specific skills such as problem solving and communication. They can also model the ability to love oneself without degrading others. For parents and children, confidence grows simply with the knowledge that they are valued and appreciated by their loved ones.

Helps Kids Learn Future Parenting Skills

The memories you create together will instill in children a desire to foster that same loving atmosphere in their own future homes. Family is so important because, through your example, your kids learn important caregiving skills that they can use one day. They may even practice now by copying your behaviors when they interact with siblings.

Teaches Effective Conflict Resolution

When we spend time with family it is fun, but it can be difficult, too. When conflicts arise, you can’t just walk away for good. You’re in this together, so you have to work together to solve the issues that come up. Spending time with family teaches interpersonal communication skills including healthy, constructive ways to discuss, debate, and solve problems.

Reduces Stress

Those with strong family healthy relationships tend to seek out healthier coping mechanisms for stress—such as confiding in friends and family—instead of other unhealthy outlets. This establishes a habit of talking through problems together to relieve stress and find effective solutions.

Stress also significantly affects aspects of physical health, such as fatigue, blood pressure, and heart health. The Annals of Behavioral Medicine conducted a study that found when people discussed hardships in their lives with a friend beside them (instead of alone), they had lowered pulse and blood pressure readings.

Promotes Adaptability And Resilience

Your ability to face life’s changes and challenges is greatly improved by a strong family bond. Being with family gives you the feeling of knowing that you belong, you are cared for, and you are needed, which gives a sense of meaning and purpose. This assurance gives motivation to push forward, grow, and succeed.

Enhances Physical Health

With the right kind of activities, spending time with family can positively impact physical well-being. For instance, families who eat home-cooked meals together tend to have a better diet than those who don’t. Participating in outdoor activities like sports games, hikes, or gardening together helps to improve fitness. There’s even evidence that time with family can boost the effects of exercise and other healthy habits. It improves heart, brain, hormonal, and immune health. Being with family can also encourage one another to maintain healthy lifestyles.

Lengthens Life Expectancy

Healthy relationships could increase your lifespan up to 50%. Combine all the physical and mental health benefits discussed above, and you can see why family time has been linked to living a longer, healthier, happier life. Even those with unhealthy physical habits, but a strong social network live longer than those without these relationships.

Make Spending Time with Family a Priority- Highland Springs Can Help

Dr. Thatcher, DO, CMRO, works with the Valley Behavioral Health’s Director of Nursing providing supervision and oversight of medical operations for over 70 medical staff members and medical issues in over 70 clinics and facilities in Utah, Boise Idaho, and Phoenix Arizona.

His major medical initiatives include telehealth, integrated care, medication-assisted treatment, and substance abuse services, forensics services, and seamless integration of jail/prison/mental health court & drug court/probation/parole services with behavioral health and substance abuse treatment, ValleyLab blood and urine drug testing, data analytics to drive better outcomes & computerized automation of standardized measurement tools, and Brainsway Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation clinic.