Researchers have long followed the impact of families in societies across the world. Regardless of size, composition, values, or cultural beliefs; family plays a significant role in developing identity and a sense of belonging. Family is the place that teaches us the value of love, affection, care, truthfulness, self-confidence, and provides us tools and suggestions on how to navigate life successfully. In fact, however it is defined; people are healthier mentally and physically if they feel linked to a family.
With so much influence, family is the place where we gather our cues
and develop healthy routines and practices. Regular routines in such things as bedtime, mealtime, chores, television time, and regular phone contact have been associated with: Parents reported more satisfaction in their parenting role and felt more competent, better sleep in children, and better health and better-regulated behavior in young children. In single parent, divorced and blended family homes, research indicates the regular routines might help protect children from the risks associated with such conditions. It is this predictability that gives family members, especially young, a sense of security and comfort.
In addition to the predictability that routines bring, family rituals allow for families to strengthen their connections, and increase their family well-being. Rituals provide a way for families to uniquely convey family identity from generation to generation. Despite the differences in ethnic, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds, rituals are universal to family life. Many rituals or traditions have symbolic meaning to family members and are a way for families to transmit family values, history and culture from one generation to the next. The holiday season is time when most families gather to celebrate, and is the ideal time to carve out time for family rituals and traditions.
Life gets so busy and family time often falls victim to our overscheduled lives. Without exception the holiday season provides us the opportunity to continue family rituals or start new traditions that have emotional significance and create a deeper sense of belonging and connectedness. Regardless of how hectic life can seem during the holiday season, carving out time for family and traditions will allow for precious treasured times that will carry on for generations to come.
To read more on this subject please visit these sites:
American Psychological Association; http://www.apa.org/
http://www.go.osu.edu/advnursci2002
