Ah, the family, our pride and joy, our greatest achievement, the thing that keeps us going, the love of our lifetime. Family is the most important thing we humans have when all is said and open, they matter to us more than anything else, and provide us with pleasure and companionship all through our lives. Family is so important that our homes even have a special room named for them, the Family Room! Of course, these days it isn’t always easy to get families all together in the same place at the same time, everyone is always so busy with work, school, sports, hobbies and going out with friends that sometimes the home just sits empty! This is when it’s more important than ever to bring the family together, give them a good reason to be all in the same place at the same time to join together in fun activities, and the place to do it? The Family Room! Here are some ideas to draw them in:
Movie Night – If you haven’t done so yet, get rid of that old box set and install a TV wall mount to hold the biggest flatscreen you can afford! Now, it’s time to really make this plan sizzle! Get yourself one of those mini theatre-style popcorn makers to get things really popping, just the smell of fake butter will be enough to entice reticent family members in. Arrange the sofas and love chairs into rows for maximum viewing. Now make sure you have a dimmer switch installed on the overhead lights so you can set the mood, and invest in some movie theatre-style red velvet curtains that you can dramatically draw open when the main feature begins! Remember that old joke about paying the kids a bribe to go see a movie? Now you can do it to get them to stay home for one! Younger children can be allowed to stay up past their bedtimes for this great new family tradition! Sound like good family fun? You bet! Pass the popcorn!
Game Night – The family room should have a nice coffee table at knee height that’s wide enough to hold classic board games like Monopoly and Parcheesi, with easy access from the surrounding sofas and chairs. For this special family occasion make sure to provide some fun family favourite snacks like pizza bits, cheese and crackers, veggie dips, and of course, that old gaming standby, pretzels. Plan on playing at least two different games per evening, with the option of rematches. If you want to make it more competitive, play in teams, and put up a chalkboard to keep track of the standings on! It’s always important to establish some rules of conduct, no getting angry and yelling when someone takes Australia from you in a Risk match, and no pouting for losers or gloating for winners! The games are all in good fun and not an excuse for a family fight! Massage the loser’s hurt feelings by bestowing consolation prizes like a night off from a despised household chore, and give the winners a prize like a bit of extra allowance- money talks!
There you have it, family fun in the Family Room! Enjoy!
