The Importance of Traditions
đWeekly Inspirationđ
Hope that you had a nice Thanksgiving holiday đ. As weâve officially entered the holiday season, it is a good time to reflect upon your familyâs traditions and how they are useful for kids. Children and adolescents long for traditions, rituals, and consistencyâthey reinforce A LOT of wonderful stuff!
1. They give children a sense of identity. Whether your traditions are based on religion, culture, or funâŚthey are important. They serve as reminders of where your family came from or as memories that helped shape your family.
2. Traditions help strengthen family bonds. Established rituals help family members trust each other. These traditions provide a set time for families to interact and build a solid foundation. Itâs a time to pass on cultural, social, or religious heritage and connect generations. High levels of grandparent involvement increase the well-being of children.
3. It helps build character. In a fast-paced and ever-changing world, itâs comforting to have a bit of consistency. Whether itâs Friday family movie night or Sunday morning bike rides, traditions offer security.
(Brunswick Crossing Blog, 2023).
Ask Yourself:
What were some of my favorite traditions growing up?
What benefits did I derive from those traditions or rituals?
Do I know a lot about my family? Is there a family identity with which I identify?
If family traditions didnât occur in my family in the ways that I wanted, might it feel healing to start some new regular traditions in my family now?
What traditions do I want to incorporate this season? Anything new?
What are my childrenâs favorite traditional foods, music, activities, and rituals?
* A Fun Idea: try this âDo You Knowâ scale with your kidsâŚit tests their ability to understand their roots. The research suggests that the more children know about their familyâs history, the stronger their sense of control over their lives, the higher their self-esteem, and the more successfully they believe their families functioned.