Establish New Family Traditions

Brainstorm with your children and spouse about making a new family tradition. Perhaps something wonderful and spontaneous occurred as you were preparing to leave for summer vacation, the night before Thanksgiving, the afternoon of the first snowfall, or on the way to the pumpkin patch. Or, maybe you had a pillow fight that ended with everyone making popcorn, S’mores, and watching old movies in their pajamas … if it still evokes powerful memories for all of you, make it a tradition. Other ideas might include an annual family cleaning day (when everyone pitches in to tackle the mess in the garage, basement, or attic), an annual family fun day (let a child choose what the family does for the day, even if it’s bug hunting), or an annual plant-a-garden day. According to Dr. G. Scott Wooding, best-selling author and leading Canadian authority on parenting teenagers, traditions help to determine family boundaries and help children feel more secure by giving them a sense of belonging to a clearly defined unit.