FAMILY BONDING: An ideal activity to spend leisure time

HOW TO SPEND A PERFECT SUNDAY WITH YOUR FAMILY

By Charmagne A. Vidallon

T

he family is the corner stone of our society. More than any other force, it shapes the attitudes, the hopes, the ambitions, and the values of the child. When the family collapses, it is the children that are usually damaged. That is why spending time with them at least every Sunday tightens your closeness with each other.

The real significance of this activity is to keep the family relationship strong and not only that, but it is also the ideal day for you and your spouse to unwind after a very stressful week from work, and for the children to relax and enjoy their life as a youth after a busy week from school.

There are many ways on how to spend a “Perfect Sunday” with your loving partner and also with your little angels. But the following are the things that I and my family usually do for this valued day:

1

GO TO CHURCH – church is about God, a place where we should reconcile and give thanks for all the blessings that He gave to us.

·       An ideal family is the one that is God-centred which provides them better understanding about the worth of prayers in our everyday living. And as the saying goes, “the family that prays together stays together”.

·       The best time to attend a mass is in the morning for it is good to start your day with the full blessings of the Lord. My family always instilled in me that if you put god first, everything will fall into place. This will make you and your family feel at ease and at peace. It is a perfect place to hear God’s words to get you through the following week.

·       It is also good to bring anything that can be offered and candles to be lighted for the fulfilment of your family’s prayer.

2

GO OUT FOR LUNCH – this is usually done after mass.

·       Think of a location that is not so expensive, not too cheap, but is enough to be a place for mealtime.

·       For the food, select the one that will fit on your children’s taste so that they can enjoy it. Adults can adjust to what the kids are eating but kids might refuse to intake the food that we want, especially those meals that we usually see on social gatherings for example spicy foods, foods from other countries and the like.

·       While eating, each of the family members may talk about family issues and important matters that happened during the previous week. For the parents, this is the time for them to ask their children “how are they” in school. Plans for the following week can be also done at this moment.

3

GO FOR SHOPPING – after meal time, “Supermarket” is the most common place to go.

·       This is where the family buy their stuffs especially all their basic needs at home because SM has it all. Weekdays are busy days and going to public market just to buy all your expected needs is impossible so better be prepared.

·       Buying new clothes, toys and other material things is optional. Of course, it may be and it may NOT be enough for their budget. Kids might also ask for anything that they will need in school.

4

MOVIE TIME – of course, Sunday won’t be a perfect family bonding day without this particular activity. This can be done at cinemas or even juts at home. Families should bond over movies, at least one movie every Sunday as they finish dinner.

·      

•             Parents should choose a type of movie in which their children can learn something from it. Not really as “educational movies” but stories that can give them or teach them something that they can apply in their everyday life as they grow up.
•               Horror movies are not advisable for it can only cause nightmares to your kids.

•    And don’t forget that movie time won’t be complete without the presence of “popcorn”.

This is now the time for you to sit down together and all you got to do is “hit” play and enjoy watching.

Because it is Monday on the next day, movie watching should end between 8:00 – 9:00 in the evening because you need to sleep early and take a good rest so that you will be ready to face another week again.

                These are some of the things that my family have used to do. There are more ways to enjoy this precious day. In fact, you can change your Sunday routine if you want. You can find some tips in the internet mostly on Yahoo or Google. But what you cannot, should not and must not change is your no. 1 Sunday habit, your allotted time to go to church because it is an obligation for the one who created us.

                No matter how busy you are, no matter how stressful your previous week was, remember that as for leisure activity, Family Bonding should be practiced by those who are lucky to have a family. Try to make the most out of it and enjoy it in any way you can!

date posted: november 25, 2010

source: internet 

(www.yahoo.com)

(www.google.com)

-plus own experiences

PHILIPPINES: STILL A WONDERFUL PLACE TO VISIT

   RECENTLY, SIX BIG COUNTRIES ISSUED A TRAVEL ADVISORY ON THE PHILIPPINES WHICH IRKED THE PALACE. RESPONSIBLE COUNTRIES WERE BRITAIN, UNITED STATES, FRANCE, AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, AND CANADA.

   A TRAVEL ADVISORY IS NOT JUST A SIMPLE ANNOUNCEMENT BUT A WARNING I THINK WHICH CAN REALLY ALARM PEOPLE AND WHAT THOSE COUNTRIES HAD ISSUED WAS VERY INSULTING FOR THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE NO ANY BASIS. TRAVEL ADVISORIES SHOULD BE ACCURATE AND SENSITIVE. THEY SHOULD HAVE CONCRETE BASES AND BE ABLE TO GIVE EXACT INFORMATIONS TO AVOID FRIGHTENING PEOPLE UNREASONABLY. THEY SHOULD DEEM THE IMPRESSION WHICH PEOPLE MIGHT HAVE, THE MOMENT THEY OBTAIN THE ISSUE. THE DECISION OF PRESIDENT NOYNOY AQUINO TO QUESTION THOSE COUNTRIES IS JUST RIGHT. ALTHOUGH SOME OF THEM RESPONDED THAT THE MUCH-HYPED ADVISORY HAS BEEN AROUND FOR SEVEN YEARS AND WAS ONLY UPDATED, IT CANNOT PREVENT PEOPLE FROM THINKING THAT THE PHILIPPINES IS NOT SAFE TO VISIT ANYMORE.

   WHAT IS THE POINT IN SAYING THAT EVERYBODY IS TAKING THE TERRORISM THREAT SERIOUSLY EXCEPT THE AQUINO ADMINISTRATION WHILE THERE IS REALLY NO TERRORIST THREAT THAT THE PHILIPPINES IS FACING RIGHT NOW? OUR BELOVED PRESIDENT CONFIRMED THAT. EVEN IF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAD CLARIFIED THAT IT HAD NOT ISSUED A NEW TRAVEL ADVISORY ON THE PHILIPPINES, IT HAD ALREADY REACHED THE PUBLIC AND THE POINT IS THEY HAVE NO ENOUGH REASON TO INCLUDE PHILIPPINES AS ONE OF THE MANY COUNTRIES FACING THE SAME KIND OF MATTER.

    ON THE OTHER HAND, IF THE SAID IMMINENT TERRORISM ATTACK WOULD HAPPEN, PEOPLE IN OUR COUNTRY (NOT ONLY FILIPINOS BUT ALSO THE OTHER NATIONALITIES LIVING HERE) ARE THE FIRST TO BE GIVEN AN ADVISORY BEFORE OTHERS. P-NOY IS NOT STUPID TO NOT KNOW THAT THERE IS ALREADY A THREAT TO HIS RULING COUNTRY. IN FACT, OUR MEN IN UNIFORM GUARANTEED THAT THEY WILL DO THEIR VERY BEST TO SECURE LIVES OF THEIR FELLOWMEN AND WILL DO THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT OUR COUNTRY IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN PEACE.

" IT'S NOT THAT PRESIDENT AQUINO DOESN'T TAKE THE SUBJECT SERIOUSLY. WHAT'S FUNNY HERE IS THAT THOSE SIX COUNTRIES ARE TAKING IT OVERACTING."

SOURCES: PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER

                      TV PATROL (ABS-CBN)

DATES: NOV. 8 - 13 2010

                                           

    

Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.”