Last Summer I thought having a Family Movie Night would be a great way to start having more family time! Little did I know that my kids would love it so much that we started doing it all year round, and instead of naming it Family Movie Night, it takes on the name Family Friday Night. We spend time watching movies, having a slumber party in the living room and playing board games or whatever interests us.
Family Friday Night is all about reconnecting after a busy week of childhood and adulthood, it is a way for me to come to the level of my children and be one with them. There is a huge importance to me for parents to be able to come down to their children’s level; this helps build a bond and type of security that nothing else can create. You see, when your children learn that no matter how old they are and no matter how challenging they can be, that you love them and want to take part in their childhood ways, they learn the gift of love. Unconditional love.
We start our Friday Family Night with pizza for dinner, two movies picked out by the boys with a little nudging by their sister in direction of movie chosen, and we pull out the twin mattresses and the futon mattress to place on the living room floor. With the living room covered in mattresses and movies on, we enjoy a bit of pizza and conversations. Yes, we talk through movies – sadly I probably am making that a bad habit within my kiddos, sorry future partners.
The rest of the week days my sons have to be in bed and asleep by 8pm at the latest, usually I aim for 7:30pm all year round, so Family Friday Night gives them something to look forward to. This evening of family fun can involve sibling rivalry, hyperactivity and lots of laughter; it is not for the faint at heart, but I love every moment of it, even if some nights I end up being the referee because those boys of mine can certainly butt heads, and their sister is no saint either when it comes to instigating her brothers. No matter what happens and no matter how the Family Friday Night goes, the kids feel love as siblings and my children; which to me, is all that matters at the end of every day!
