Twelve Steps to Spending Quality Time with Your Family in 2007

Wanting to spend quality time with our family and actually spending quality time is two different things. The best of intentions often gets undone. If you are serious about spending more quality time with your family this year, you should schedule it. Here is my calendar for spending quality time together this year.

Resolution for family quality time in January: Take advantage of a snow day. If you get the call that school is closed, call in "sick" and stay home too. Build snow forts and snowmen, and have an old-fashioned snowball fight. End the day together with chicken soup and a movie.

Resolution for family quality time in February: Go skiing. Take a three-day weekend this month and go skiing with your family. Even if you live in the south, you are not more than 8 hours away from the nearest ski slope by either car or airplane. I live in Georgia, and I am barely three hours away from the nearest slopes.

Resolution for family quality time in March: Plan a family beach party. By now, it has been cold for too long. Get out your beach chairs, umbrellas and a fill a small child's pool with sand. You may want to put down a tarp first. Turn on a heat lamp or a white-light lamp and enjoy a day on the pretend beach with your family.

Resolution for family quality time in April: It is time for the rainy day blues. Take advantage of the rain and spend a weekend together eating popcorn in bed and watching cartoon marathons on TV. Plan to do this early in April, and you never know the rain will stop, though it feels like it will go on forever.

Resolution for family quality time in May: It is finally springtime and there is plenty of gardening to do. Make tending to the yard a family affair. Give each child their own mini garden are and let them create their own gardens. For children, working together is a lot like playing together.

Resolution for family quality time in June: In the summer, your children will crave a lot more attention as they are home from school and likely bored by the time you get home from work. If you have a neighborhood pool, have a daily late night dip. If you do not have a pool, go for a walk everyday after dinner.

Resolution for family quality time in July: Take them home to meet the family. Whether planned or informal, July is a good month for family reunions. For your family to truly understand you, it helps to understand where you come from.

Resolution for family quality time in August: Plan some lazy time to cool off during the hot dog days of summer. Have a family camp out on the back deck, or a camp in, on the living room floor. Do not plan many activities. All you need are smores, iced tea, and to lay very still trying to catch a breeze.

Resolution for family quality time in September: Tennis anyone? There is no better month to play tennis than September. The heat has subsided, and its not too cold to get sweaty. This is a fun game for children, moms, and dads to play together as amateurs are always welcome. (Badminton and golf are good alternatives)

Resolution for family quality time in October: Reserve Halloween as a special day to spend time with your family. Whether you celebrate the holiday or not, parents and kids should have some type of togetherness ritual on this day.

Resolution for family quality time in November: Plan for extended time off at Thanksgiving for a family vacation. Your child will only miss a few days of school, and you can have the resorts and hotels to yourself (depending on where you go). Prices at Disneyland are very reasonable this time of year, as are cruises.

Resolution for family quality time in December: Each parent should spend individual time with each child and some time together. This is a good time to allow your children to shop for their other siblings and parent. Be sure to arrange for sitters early in November so that you can your spouse can attend lots of holiday parties guilt free.

So what are you waiting for? Get out your calendar and schedule those precious moments you and your family will never forget.