10 ways to show you care about your family

A lot of us are busy with jobs, managing the house and other activities we are involved with. It is really easy to lose sight of your family in the midst of your busy days.

How many times have you heard yourself saying ‘I should have phoned my mum, but I’ve just not had the time.’ We are all in the same boat and unless we are consciously aware of who we are forgetting some people will fall out of our lives.

I am talking about all the family here, your wife, husband, children, mother, father, sisters, brothers, and friends.

1. Tell Them – This is a simple one yet extremely hard for some people to do. Tell your family you love them or if this is too hard, tell them how much they mean to you.

2. Show them – Surprise visits are a great way to tell your family you are thinking about them, as long as you get on with each other. This might be a little trickier with friends.

3. Call them – I was forever saying ‘Shit, I should have phoned my mum and dad’ Now I do it at least once a week, same with my sisters. By making a habit of calling at least once a week you will start to feel something missing when you don’t do it. This is the same with friends; call them at least once a week or once every two weeks. Soon you’ll start to do this automatically.

4. Text your partner – When I was first married two years ago I texted my wife all the time, now with us being so busy and have full on jobs it’s hard to find the time. I would say MAKE THE TIME, it takes 2 minutes to send a text and can mean so much to your partner, I know I still feel that tingle in the stomach when I get a text from my wife.

5. Make time for your children – Your children are the most important people in the world. Take time out to connect with them, even half an hour a day. If they play the play station ask them to show you how to play, if they are watching TV sit with them, just try and live in their world for half an hour. Younger children want attention all the time so this will be easy. With older children, it can be more difficult, but at least it will be recognised that you are trying.

6. Surprise them – Every once in a while do something different with your partner and children. This can be as simple as going to see the latest Harry Potter movie, or going for a meal, just something different from the usual.

7. Give flowers for no reason – Nothing says it like flowers. When I buy my wife flowers her face lights up, it’s another way for me to say, I love you and I love the fact that you’re my wife.

8. Spend alone time with your children – Children go through spells of preferring the company of a particular parent. When their preference turns to you make sure you utilise this time and spend some alone time with them. Children, depending what age they are, need to know you like them as well as love them. To show children you like them there is nothing better than spending time alone with them.

9. Flirt with your partner – Just because you have been together for a year or 30 years doesn’t mean you have to stop flirting with them. Keeping your partner interested in you can be achieved, amongst other ways, by flirting with them.

10. Eat with your family – This is one of the most important tips I could give to anyone about keeping your immediate family strong. Sit down to dinner every day with them. This is a great chance to talk, to gauge how each other is feeling, and just to be with each other. My family has grown so strong because of this one act alone and I am glad my youngest son suggested it a few years ago.

Full article: 10 ways to show you care for your family by Steven Aitchison

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