unch into a picnic or BBQ at your favorite park. Incorporate other activities into the day like a friendly game of Frisbee, kite flying, or simply teach the kids a new card game while waiting for the burgers to come off the grill. For the more adventurous type, try planning a camping trip. This isIf your definition of quality family time includes watching the finale of American Idol together, you might want to look at National Family Month as a time to adjust your vocabulary.

National Family month, an annual celebration that begins on Mother’s Day and ends on Father’s Day, was established to encourage family relationships and focus on developing healthy, confident kids. National Family Month is scheduled during the early summer just as kids are finishing the school year. This time of year presents a new challenge to parents, as they try to manage all the free time that is now available to their children.

Many families just don’t know how to spend quality time together in the summer months. Prior to summer, parents rely on school and extracurricular activities as a way to occupy their children. Unfortunately, school and extracurricular activities are often replaced with TV and playing video games during the summer.

What many parents don’t realize is that there are many family activities that are fun, easy, and inexpensive!

Getting outside as a family opens many possibilities for exciting and creative activities. Try turning the normal at-home lunch into a picnic or BBQ at your favorite park. Incorporate other activities into the day like a friendly game of Frisbee, kite flying, or simply teach the kids a new card game while waiting for the burgers to come off the grill. For the more adventurous type, try planning a camping trip. This is

ished to encourage family relationships and focus on developing healthy, confident kids. National Family Month is scheduled during the early summer just as kids are finishing the school year. This time of year presents a new challenge to parents, as they try to manage all the free time that is now available to their children.

Many families just don’t know how to spend quality time together in the summer months. Prior to summer, parents rely on school and extracurricular activities as a way to occupy their children. Unfortunately, school and extracurricular activities are often replaced with TV and playing video games during the summer.

What many parents don’t realize is that there are many family activities that are fun, easy, and inexpensive!

Getting outside as a family opens many possibilities for exciting and creative activities. Try turning the normal at-home lunch into a picnic or BBQ at your favorite park. Incorporate other activities into the day like a friendly game of Frisbee, kite flying, or simply teach the kids a new card game while waiting for the burgers to come off the grill. For the more adventurous type, try planning a camping trip. This is

available to their children.

Many families just don’t know how to spend quality time together in the summer months. Prior to summer, parents rely on school and extracurricular activities as a way to occupy their children. Unfortunately, school and extracurricular activities are often replaced with TV and playing video games during the summer.

What many parents don’t realize is that there are many family activities that are fun, easy, and inexpensive!

Getting outside as a family opens many possibilities for exciting and creative activities. Try turning the normal at-home lunch into a picnic or BBQ at your favorite park. Incorporate other activities into the day like a friendly game of Frisbee, kite flying, or simply teach the kids a new card game while waiting for the burgers to come off the grill. For the more adventurous type, try planning a camping trip. This is

ed with TV and playing video games during the summer.

What many parents don’t realize is that there are many family activities that are fun, easy, and inexpensive!

Getting outside as a family opens many possibilities for exciting and creative activities. Try turning the normal at-home lunch into a picnic or BBQ at your favorite park. Incorporate other activities into the day like a friendly game of Frisbee, kite flying, or simply teach the kids a new card game while waiting for the burgers to come off the grill. For the more adventurous type, try planning a camping trip. This is

unch into a picnic or BBQ at your favorite park. Incorporate other activities into the day like a friendly game of Frisbee, kite flying, or simply teach the kids a new card game while waiting for the burgers to come off the grill. For the more adventurous type, try planning a camping trip. This is an excellent way for the family to bond while doing something outside.

If your family is not gung-ho about sports or the great outdoors, try educational activities like a local museum or zoo. If you are worried about the expense of taking the entire family, look for the many discounts or free days that many family-friendly venues offer.

If you are still at a loss for good ideas on how to spend quality time with your family, just ask your family members what interests them or what input they may have. This is a great way to learn something new about your spouse or children. Maybe little Mikey loves to bake cookies! Or you might discover that your oldest teenager has a green thumb. In any case, there are plenty of options that the entire family can enjoy. What better way to turn off the TV and to change your definition of quality family time than National Family Month!

Get outside, get inside, get busy!