Do you remember when you were younger? What was your family like? How much time did you spend with them? How did it make you feel? Do you wish you had spent more time doing things as a family? Did family time help you or hinder you? These are all important questions when considering the subject of family time. When most children are growing up, they like to spend quality time with their parents. What is considered to be quality time?  ‘"Quality time" is time spent doing an activity that is meaningful to the parent and child.’ Quality time can be anything from getting ready for the day, sharing how one’s day went, or even discussing problems and understanding or resolving them together. Participating in activities such as this or in any quality time activities as a family is very important. Children learn through the actions of the ones they are surrounded by. “By living in a family, children learn to share, how to stand up for their own rights, and how to love another person.” Children mature based on how family time is spent. If a child’s parents are not patient and understanding or do not show a decent sense of morality, then, this may possibly be reflected in the child’s actions and behaviors. So, it is important to remember that if not practiced with care, quality time with the family may actually cause a child to practice a less-than-welcomed lifestyle. So, do remember to be careful because as they all say, “monkey see, monkey do.” What other problems are present when it comes to time with the family? One of the hardest parts is finding the time to have quality time together. An extremely easy way, however, is to simply eat dinner together, as a family, and discuss whatever is deemed necessary. As a matter of fact, this could be one of the most helpful things you could do for your child. “According to a new Columbia University survey, teenagers who eat with their families at least five times a week are more likely to get better grades in school and much less likely to have substance abuse problems.” In fact the study shows that teens are almost fifty percent less likely to drink alcohol, smoke, or use marijuana. AND, they are more likely  to receive A’s and/or B’s in school. ‘"At a time when kids are under a lot of stress for a lot of different reasons, having that regular mealtime that they can count on, that their parents are there for support -- that can be very helpful," said David Elkind, a professor of child development at Tufts University in Massachusetts.’ He’s not the only one who has found an importance to this topic. “A Harvard University study found that family dinners were the most important family events in helping children develop language skills.” Wow! Who knew doing something as simple as eating dinner with your family could make such an impact! Unfortunately, only about half of American teenagers participate in a family dinner. WHY? Maybe its finding time or figuring out what to do. In any case there’s always help. In fact, here is a good place to find it. http://parenting.kaboose.com/familytips_familytime.html