In our house, family ALWAYS comes first. We eat dinner as a family every night. I can count on one hand the amount of times we weren't able to because of crazy schedules, and that's in the past 8 years. Yes, sometimes Daddy doesn't make it home for dinner, but that doesn't stop the rest of us from sitting down as a family to eat dinner. Every single night, we make time to be a family, no matter how tired, rushed, or crabby we are. Kids get a choice every night if they want to play a game as a family or read stories together before bed. That's every night, even the rushed ones. Family comes first, all the time, not just when the school district tells us we should probably do this. I'm sure some of you reading this are thinking, "We just don't have time" or "You'll see when your kids are older". I get it. I know there will be many nights we can't sit down as a family to dinner. I know that a time will come where we don't play a family game or read stories together. I know things are going to change, but, our core value in this house is family. We are a unit. I have a friend whose kids are teenagers and they manage to always put family first. I look at the joy in her house and pray that is my house when my kids are those ages. I'm pretty sure her family doesn't have dinner together every night, but that's not what makes quality time. They do so many things as a family, even with their busy lives. They make the time for each other; for family.
It's just a sad thing that the school district has to set a night to remind people that family is important. I hate to think that this is truly what the world is coming to. I hate to think that people are putting sports and other activities before family. People wonder what's wrong with kids today. Maybe this is it. Maybe it's the parents not putting family first, but putting more emphasis on being busy and trying to be the best at things. All I can hope is that I instill the love for family in my kids and they will do the same with their families. For it's the families that are too busy to put family first that are truly missing out on what life really has to offer.