Finding Intentional Family Routines

As schedules start to fill up and we feel that familiar holiday rush approaching on the horizon, we’re getting intentional with our time. Intentional with what we’re prioritizing and what means the most to us: family! Keep reading to learn the secrets of these Busy Bees’ intentional family routines.

Night Routines

Jenna’s routine for her family gets everyone involved. It starts with a family dinner filled with good food, stories, and connections after their busy days. After dinner, everyone gets their own task (they rotate!) to help clean up and get their home ready for the next day. For example, someone focuses on doing dishes while someone else is picking up the living room. Daily tasks can change based on their family’s needs. After everyone focuses on their individual tasks for about 20 minutes, bedtime routines for the kids can begin.

Having a nighttime routine–especially one that emphasizes relationships and working together–makes nights and mornings smoother for the whole family.

Don’t be fooled: togetherness and special family time can happen at any time. What are some daily tasks you can turn into a family routine?

Intentional Mornings

How you start your day lays the groundwork for everything that follows. One of the most meaningful ways we can take care of our families and relationships is to take care of ourselves first. 

If you’re looking for inspiration, Shannon documented her shift to a mindful morning routine previously on this blog. What does your morning routine look like and what would you like to change about it? These are some of our own tips:

Quality Family Time

We’re being intentional about leaving space for quality family time. Our favorite way to spend quality time with our family is family dinners together. We grew up with regular family dinners around Mimi’s table and they’re some of our most cherished childhood memories. 

We are so grateful to take what we’ve learned from those early family dinners and create similar memories with our own families today. The benefits of having meals together is well documented. We know nightly family dinners aren’t practical for our busy families, so our goal is to share one meal a day together and it has made all the difference. 

By setting aside time to reconnect and fill each others’ cups, we know our family can then go out into the world and fill the cups of the people around them. What we model and prioritize at home has a direct impact on the communities we live in. We know that when our family is feeling connected, loved, and happy they’re going out and helping others feel that same way. Let’s be intentional about how we spend our time and we’ll see the results all around us.