2004 Year in Review

National Family Week: Connections Count - #2

Thanksgiving week, November 21-27, 2004 has been designated National Family Week to recognize the role of families as a fundamental part of our society. The theme for this year is Connections Count. According to Amy Griswold, University of Illinois Extension Family Life Educator, the Alliance for Children and Families has promoted National Family Week during the same week as Thanksgiving since 1970 to encourage strong families. National Family Week is celebrated by many family and community organizations throughout the nation.

National Family Week is designed to encourage and support healthy family life. According to Griswold, this year’s theme, Connections Count, focuses on those bonds that tie a family together such as family traditions, communication and interpersonal relationships. Thanksgiving week was selected as national Family Week since this is a time when many families get together to share in family traditions and rituals.

A ritual is any repeated, shared activity that has meaning for family members. This is different from a routine which may be a repeated activity, but not necessarily shared or having meaning. Cultivating family rituals can help strengthen families by building emotional ties and providing a sense of belonging for family members.

Rituals may differ from family to family. They are important not so much for what is said or done but for the sense of shared experience or belonging. Most of us think of family traditions as centered around holidays, but they don’t need to be limited to these times. Families may have rituals such as reading together before bedtime or a special weekend breakfast together.

Families today can develop new rituals to strengthen bonds. Look for activities the family does together and make it a habit to repeat them. Focus on things you do together that have special meaning for the family and provide fond memories.

As we approach the holiday season, stop to think about the traditions that hold special meaning for your family. Strong families recognize that there are benefits related to family rituals. They help family members develop a sense of pride in the family, and provide continuity and closeness. Rituals touch the heart of the family and encourage positive family interactions. You might think of family traditions as the keepsakes that live on in our hearts.

by  Editor, theCity1.com
November 2, 2004