Family culture and connection doesn’t come from the things you do once a year. Or things you say are important but never get around to doing. It’s in the acts you repeat on a regular basis. A Sunday family breakfast ritual or talking about the ‘peak and the pit’ (the high and the low) of your day at dinner. It could even be a once a week game of UNO or ice cream in front of a movie on Friday nights.
They don’t have to be big or complicated rituals. But they do need to be consistent. It’s through these intentional and repeated acts that we work out what truly matters to us as a family. It’s how we develop our family values and strengthen our connections.
But it’s not always easy. Sometimes life can fly by so fast that we are simply surviving, not connecting. School days can feel like a blur of after-school sports, homework and – let’s face it – nagging!
So, if you’re looking for a time to start your new family traditions, the school holidays present a beautiful opportunity to slow down and reconnect as a family.
Why is family tradition important?
Why is family tradition important? Most of us know from personal experience that family traditions help us to form a family identity and feel closer to each other. They provide us with shared memories and a sense of belonging. Spending quality time together also opens up opportunities for better communication.
The anecdotes have been backed up by science. There has been plenty of research into why family tradition is important. The simple act of retrieving positive memories that are shared with others can not only improve our mood but also counteract stress, according to one study.
Three studies from another paper found that family traditions ‘amplify family closeness and involvement in the experience’. And a recent article in The New York Times shows that traditions can actually make us happier (and the sillier the better).
Family tradition inspiration
Traditions are unique to the individual family unit. What feels right and relevant for your family might feel forced or inauthentic for another.
The key is to choose traditions that work well within your own family. They should align with your values and interests. It’s also really nice to get everyone in the family in on decided which traditions to implement. If siblings can’t agree, then perhaps they can each choose one that is meaningful to them.
To guide your decisions, you might want to start by thinking about what values you’d love to instill in your children. Maybe it’s being kind? Showing gratitude? Serving others? A good starting point is reflecting on why family tradition is important to you.
Suggestions for family traditions
If you would like some ideas to start your thinking, here are some of our favourite (and easy-to-implement) family traditions you could incorporate these school holidays.
Pancake Mondays
Many parents will be rejoicing over not having to be at the school gate by a certain time each morning. Take advantage of the slower holiday mornings by planning a weekly family breakfast tradition. The children might like to take turns planning the menu or helping with cooking. It’s can also be fun if it’s a theme, pancakes or waffles, for example.
Plan a before-work tradition
Working parents don’t have to miss out on sharing school holiday traditions with their kids. Simply make the most of the time you have. Remember, it’s about quality time, not quantity. For example, leave the house early once a week and enjoy hot choccies at a local cafe before work and vacation care.
Games night
Designate a special night of the week as family board games night. Gather the family’s favourite games and spend the night sharing some laughs. If your children are young, physical games like charades, musical statues or hide-n-seek work very well, are a lot of fun and get the wiggles out.
Get moving
Combine fun and movement with a weekly family exercise session. Maybe an ocean swim beach, a family bike ride or a Parkrun jog. You could even stock up on glowsticks and have a dancing disco in the living room. As long as the heart rate and spirits are up, it’s a family tradition win.