Quality time with family promotes quality of life

Created By RISC | 1 day ago

Last modified date : 1 day ago

Did New Year let you spend quality time with your loved ones? However brief, such moments bring joy we look forward to all year.

We often value quality over quantity in how we spend our time. Quality time has lots more impact than everyday time. But if we can spend more hours with one another, we boost the chances of meaningful family moments.

A warm family with healthy relationships can strike a balance between too much and too little time together. Family activities you can do daily include sharing meals, cooking together, chatting about your day, going for walks, and exercising together. You can even do the chores as a team. These activities not only strengthen bonds but also teach children how to balance their lives from how their parents model effective time management.

Time with parents is crucial for adolescent well-being, improving social skills such as communicating clearly, building friendships, and managing emotions. One-on-one time with parents also helps boost self-esteem.

Close relationships between grandparents and grandchildren can deepen family ties. Caring for grandchildren can reduce the risk of loneliness for elderly family members, giving them a sense of being trusted and valued. It also significantly alleviates depression in both generations, as supported by a study from Boston College involving 374 grandparents and 356 adult grandchildren over 19 years (1985–2004).

Modern urban lifestyles and work responsibilities can often prevent us from living as extended families. Chances to meet and spend time together mightn’t come as often as we’d like. Festivals and special occasions become unique opportunities to express love and give support. These moments serve as "family therapy", recharging and uplifting us for the challenges ahead.

Families lucky enough to regularly spend time together can benefit even more from homes with spaces for quality moments. Such spaces should support shared activities and foster interaction without compromising privacy. Even more ideal are family spaces close to nature, such as home gardens, community parks, or public green spaces. These areas help reduce stress, boost energy, and encourage physical activity among both children and the elderly. They also spark creativity and imagination in children as they play and learn in natural surroundings.

Although New Year is over, there are countless opportunities throughout the year to spend time together. Let’s start by making the upcoming Children’s Day a meaningful time for our families.

Story by Saritorn Amornjaruchit, Assistant Vice President of RISC

References:
Ami Albernaz, The Boston Globe (December 14, 2015).
Danielle Cohen, Child Mind Institute (November 13, 2024).
Susan McHale, Penn State Social Science Research Institute (August 21, 2012).
Suzanne Pish, Michigan State University Extension (June 15, 2013).