I’d like to share a funny story with you this week.
The other day on my way to work, I came to a stoplight and immediately noticed that the car in front of me had numerous bumper stickers strewn across it. This clearly caught my attention because there were so many, and in an effort to kill time at this long light, I proceeded to count them. After all, that’s what you do when you’re stuck at a light behind a car with a ton of stickers, right?
In scanning the car over, I got to 100 and stopped, mainly because the light had changed but also because counting became overwhelming! After absorbing the fact that this car had well over 100 bumper stickers, I began to process what they were all saying. Many, if not most, were from various locations and destinations throughout the United States.
It struck me that, in order to get to many of these destinations, one probably needed to be fairly purposeful in seeking out experiences on a regular basis. In thinking about this, I pictured my family and how many bumper stickers we would have on our car if we’d taken multiple trips to various locations in the country.
Experiencing Everything Together
As a family, it’s easy to get caught up in the daily grind of living and plodding through our days with an unwavering focus on daily tasks, taking care of our usual duties, and focusing on the interactions that ensure we keep our proverbial ship afloat.
Being able to pull ourselves out of this grind and becoming purposeful in our interactions can be especially difficult but extremely invaluable to those we are closest to. Sharing experiences together is one of the most valuable forms of bonding that a family can commit to, and sometimes it’s not enough to rely on the tried and true.
Why is this so important? Well, for kids, spending quality time with family helps them develop positive behaviors, avoid trouble, and build self-esteem. For all of us, time with family helps us stay connected to our roots and gives us a chance to communicate and have fun together.
Now, I’m not suggesting that you and the family pack up and visit all 50 states to work on your bonds with each other. The bumper sticker story was nothing more than an example. There are countless things you and your family can do:
- Go to the movies
- Make a routine of trying new restaurants or recipes at home.
- Visit a park to ride bikes.
- Hike in the wilderness.
- Take a ride through town to look at holiday lights.
All of these can help build those relationships with those we hold dear in our hearts. Try it sometime!
Come Visit Us in Tampa!
Venturing into the unknown together creates strength, and the more that families share experiences with each other, the more they create deeper relationships. Family counseling can help to communicate more effectively and share experiences together in a purposeful and positive way. So, the question I have for you is, how many bumper stickers do you want on your car?
Contact our licensed psychologists and therapists in Tampa today to learn more about our counseling sessions or to schedule yours!
