Lack of Family Quality Time

Lack of Family Quality Time Families lack bonding time together…. Families today spend less quality time together, contributing to negative youth development, poor family fitness and lack of family communication and trust. 1 This is a growing issue because when there is a lack of family quality together time many youths get involved in risky and delinquent activities, family’s health and wellness is passed over and forgotten, and family's either do not trust one another or do not know how to work together as one. Quality Time From a Parents Perspective… 220 parents from 110 dual-parent families define quality time in 3 distinctive views: 1.) Structured- planning: parents say it is planned family activities. 2.) Child-centered: parents say it is heart-toheart talks. 3.) Time-available: parents say that all the time they spent with their families while at home is quality time (Snyder, 2007) 2 Why do Families Need Quality Time? 1.) Positive youth development 2.) Family fitness 3.) Family team building, interaction, and communication Positive Youth Development 1.) Human capital is our human resource, considered in terms of human contributions to an economy. Our people are our greatest capital and communities are moving to harvest this valuable commodity (Zolnsky, 2006), parent involvement is the key. 2.) Developing the potential within a young person proves essential to the atmosphere of a safe and healthy community. Effective youth services are ammunition in the battle to promote public safety (Zolnsky, 2006). a.) For example: Quality family time can help keep kids off drugs, out of gangs, and off the street. 3 Family Fitness 1.) At any age being physically fit enhances quality of life, allowing individuals to meet ordinary and unexpected demands of daily life with ease (Ferrini & Ferrini, 2006). 2.) Physical activity at any age reduces the risk of developing or dying from coronary heart disease, type II diabetes, hypertension, and colon cancer (Ferrini & Ferrini, 2006). 3.) It is documented that exercise improves the blood lipid profile or level of fats and cholesterol in the blood. In addition, experts know that exercise extends life and prevents disease (Ferrini & Ferrini, 2006). Family team building, Interaction, and Communication 1.) The family is instrumental in shaping the kind of person one becomes (Davey & Paolucci, 1980). 2.) The shaping occurs as family members interact with one another in work and play, joy and sorrow, routine and non-routine activities in the daily arena of life (Davey & Paolucci, 1980). a.) Meal times b.) After work or school c.) Weekends and vacations 3.) Family and parenting plays an important role in building assets such as family support, positive family communication, parent involvement, family boundaries, and time at home (Benson, 2006) 4 Finding a solution… ¾ In order to find the correct solution to this issue we chose to conduct a survey using ten families in the Conejo Valley community. ¾ As well as finding information on what we should incorporate into our Family Fun Night program. ¾ The next three slides are comprised of the questions of what we asked the focus group. Family Quality Time Survey… Instructions: Please select the answer that best describes your family characteristics. 1. What is your family size? 2. Do you spend quality time with your family? Yes No 5 Survey Continues… 3. What do you consider quality time? 4. Would your family participate in a community sponsored program that promoted family bonding and communication within the unit if one were offered? No Yes 5. Do you think spending time with your family can promote positive community development? Yes No Survey Ends… 6. How would you rate the amount of quality time spent with your family? 1 2 3 Instructions: From a scale of one, two, and three, one being average, two being moderate, and three being great. Please select your best choice. 6 Results of Survey Question #1 Out of the ten families surveyed the average number of family members in the household is 4. Question #2 All the families spend some type of quality time together. Question #3 This question provided information supporting the 3 different definitions of quality time. All families refer to one of the definitions: Number of families responded Structured Planning 5 Child Centered - 2 Time-Available - 3 Results of Survey Continued Question #4 All families answered yes to this question about our program. Question #5 All families answered yes to this program promoting community development. Question #6 The average rating of family quality time was 2Moderate amount of time. 7 Conclusion of data… After reviewing and analyzing the data collected, it is evident that many Conejo Valley community families feel that quality time is important to them as a family and to the community as a whole. In addition, the response to our idea of a community sponsored program was 100% positive to those who participated in our focus group. Most of the families agreed that they do not enjoy enough quality time with their family. We feel our Family Fun Night, that we propose in the next few slides, would be a great opportunity to remedy this issue. Family Fun Nights.. • One night every two weeks • Family activities that promote health, fitness, teambuilding, communication, and fun • Different stations emphasizing the above aspects through creative activities • Nominal fee for the entire family • Loosely structured 8 Family Fun Nights… • Our Family Night program allows families to participate in weekly challenges, exercises, and obstacles. This is a great way for families to spend time together and promote healthy lifestyles. • These nights will help illustrate to participating families how important it is to stay connected the their families and their children’s lives. Our program offers….. • Allows families to come together as a unit and participate in different sports, activities, arts and crafts, and promoting healthy lifestyles • Different stations are set up within the center to provide families with options, in how they can spend their time with their children 9 Benefits to the children… • Family support- Family life provides high levels of love and support • Positive family communication- A young person and his or her parents communicate positively, and a young person is willing to seek advice and counsel from parents • Children learn how integrate fitness and fun • Children improve their teambuilding skills and learn how to use those skills within their family Benefits for the parents… • Improved communication between parents and children • Parents become asset builders • Parents play a vital role in their children’s development • Most importantly, parents learn how to have fun with their children and other families within the community 10 Community Partners • Local support such as- Vons, Ralph's, Albertsons, Sports Chalet, Community Centers, local law enforcement, and any other recreational stores in the community. • By using these community partners we can increase our financials by conducting fundraising nights with these partners. Examples of Family Fun Nights (Greater Louisville) • Heart Healthy Celebration Families work together throughout educational activities offered, to create greater communication within the family unit, create more bonding between members of the family, and provide a fun atmosphere for families to be themselves. • The program provides: Valentine making, heart awareness education and activities, snacks, and more. Begins at 7:00pm $3 facility members and $5 program 11 Examples of Family Fun Nights (Greater Louisville) Continued • Easter Celebration This program is a fun atmosphere for families mainly to be together and perform different arts and crafts together. • The program provides: Easter egg hunt, crafts, pictures with the Easter Bunny, and more! Begins at 2:00pm $3 facility members and $5 program members • Safari Night This program offers problem solving games for families to learn to work together to solves specific tasks. It also offers fun games for the family members to participate with their children in fun ways to be silly and creative. • The program provides: Scavenger Hunt, animal games, crafts and goodies! 7:00-9:00pm $3 facility members and $5 program members Examples of Family Fun Nights Continued… • YMCA (Greater Seattle) • Family Dinner’s Program: “Let the YMCA make dinner while you spend quality time with your kids and meet new parents in your community!” • This is a great way for families to spend time together and not having to worry about cooking dinner. This allows for families to play board games, interact with their children in different physical activities, and, or perform different arts and crafts together. 12 Financing at the startup level for our Family Fun Night Program….. • Our start up cost will be approximately $15,000, which will be funded through donations, grants and private investors • The community Center will provide the location and some equipment for charge of 20/80 ratio of customer fees charged. • $10,000 is the approximate amount for a decent insurance policy • $400 in advertising-flyers, brochures, and posters • $1,500 for craft and game supplies • $1,300 for any miscellaneous supplies/equipment and assistants needed References Benson, P.L. (2006). All are kids are our kids. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Davey, A. J. & Paolucci, B. (1980). Family Interaction: A study of shared time and activities. Family Relations,28, 43-49. Ferrini, A.F. Ferrini, R.L. (2007). Health in the Later Years, 4th ed. McGraw-Hill. Northshore Family Programs, (2007). Social Events. Retrieved on April 24, 2007, from http://www.seattleymca.org/page.cfm?ID=n sPrograms&locationID=15&catId=17&#cat 17 13 References Continued… Snyder, K. A. (2007). A vocabulary of motives: Understanding how parents define quality time. Journal of Marriage and Family, 69(2), 320. Retrieved April 17, 2007, from Blackwell Synergy database. YMCA programs of Greater Louisville, (2007). Family Fun Nights. Retrieved on April 24, 2007, from http://www.ymcalouisville.org/Display?COMMAND=ShowBra nchProgramCommand&branchId=13&id=23 Zolnsky, G. (2006). Building healthy communities: human capital investment. Nation’s Cities Weekly, 29.4(1), 5. Retrieved April 17, 2007. from infoTrac OneFile. 14