More From You - On Togetherness

Here’s what some of you said about making time for togetherness in your everyday life.

I care for four kids, a working husband and a young nephew with special needs. How do I make time for togetherness? I try to make each individual smile at least once each day. Either I steal a kiss or tell a joke. That way, I’m connecting with everyone I love every day, and it almost always leads to either a deeper conversation or at least a hug and kiss.

—Casey Musser
Springfield, Missouri

I turn off the TV. I have three young girls, and by the time we do meals, snacks, naps and baths, it is 7 p.m. If I skip two game shows and one primetime show, that gives me two hours of quality time with my kids. My girls love the time we spend together, and I know I’m doing something that is going to make a difference 10 years from now.

—Kirstie Sexton
Watervliet, Michigan

We make good use of the time we spend in the car. Rather than playing video games or watching movies as we go to and from school or activities, we focus on each other and talk about how our day is going. On slightly longer trips, we play games like coming up with fun phrases to match license plate letters or telling stories where one person starts and we each take turns adding a sentence. The car is one place where we’re together and can choose to turn off outside distractions.

—Tessa Floehr
Marysville, Ohio

Our grandson and his family answered your question, “How do you make time for togetherness in your everyday life?” with their Christmas gift to us. They wrote:

“We would like you to join our family for dinner one Sunday each month for the entire year. Each month, you will receive an invitation with the date and time of dinner. Please let us know if the date or time is not suitable for you and we can reschedule. We will serve good food, have lots of fun and enjoy seeing each other more often.”

—Carl Wolf
Reading, Pennsylvania

Editor’s Note: For more on togetherness, see “Family Time.”

On The Game of Life
We also heard more from you on Hasbro’s The Game of Life—Twists and Turns.

I recently bought The Game of Life—Twists and Turns. I know a lot of people have bemoaned the fact that players use a credit card instead of cash. But I found that the game actually helps teach fiscal responsibility. If you use money that you don’t have (a loan), then the game charges interest. It also teaches that life doesn’t revolve around money. It shows that putting family first can be beneficial to your happiness. It shows that college, while expensive, can be worth the investment. It shows that having the best car or the best house might not be the best way to win at life itself. It also includes a guide on how to use the game to teach real-life fundamentals to your children. It offers basic, sound financial advice. It might not teach money counting, but it does teach about money and how to spend it wisely.

—Alissa Gustafson
Spring, Texas

Note: Views expressed in these letters are not necessarily the views of Thrivent magazine or Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.

What do you think?

With so many college-funding options out there, each family approaches paying for college a bit differently. Sometimes students pay their own way. Other times parents or grandparents help.

What’s your family’s philosophy on paying for college? Let us know your thoughts, and select responses will be published in future issues of the magazine.