Mom it Forward » Family Home Evening http://momitforward.com Fri, 25 May 2012 03:45:54 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 New Family Tradition: Lights Out Family Fun Night http://momitforward.com/new-family-tradition-lights-out-family-fun-night http://momitforward.com/new-family-tradition-lights-out-family-fun-night#comments Thu, 08 Dec 2011 18:00:41 +0000 Jamie Moesser http://momitforward.com/?p=34289 How is this for an idea for a new tradition: turning the lights off? Whether as a means of adding appreciation for existing gifts (such as power) during the holidays, or adding excitement to counter the post-holiday letdown, spending an intentional evening without power but with whatever exciting things that necessitates can give rise to a unique way to spend time together. I came across this idea on FreshTakes.msn.com.

The Ingram family has three young children and they came up with the idea of a Lights Out Family Fun Night when they noticed how excited their kids were when their neighborhood had a black out a while back.

Now, mom Cheryl and dad Robert plan these occasional evenings ahead of time by surreptitiously putting out candles, flashlights, lots of glowsticks, and games, and picking up or making a meal beforehand that doesn’t require much heat or refrigeration. Then, Robert slips out and flips the breaker without the kids noticing, and a Lights Out night is born! They break out the glowsticks, play hide-and-seek, and spread a blanket out on the front room floor on which to enjoy their dinner together.

This tradition could work for families with kids of all ages, with adaptation of course. Personally, I’m a big fan of reading books and playing games. My favorites are Mad Gab and Nertz. Nertz is in fact a card game my siblings and parents and I traditionally play when we get together for family events, because it’s fast-paced and everyone can be involved. It’s basically competitive solitaire and the more decks of cards involved, the faster the game goes.

What are your unique family fun night traditions? What makes these nights special?

Photo courtesy of Flickr.

Disclosure: This website is a part of an incentivized online influencer network for Fresh Takes on Family Time Powered by Subway.

]]> http://momitforward.com/new-family-tradition-lights-out-family-fun-night/feed 0 Make a Difference at Home by Focusing on Your Family This Week! http://momitforward.com/focus-on-your-family-this-week http://momitforward.com/focus-on-your-family-this-week#comments Sun, 07 Jun 2009 17:06:00 +0000 Jyl Johnson Pattee http://momitforward.com/?p=1270 Summer of Service Challenge, Giving Back, Random Acts of Kindness, Charity, Family, ParentingMake a meaningful difference this summer by taking the Summer of Service (SOS) Challenge. Here’s how:

  • Commit to do one act of kindness each week based on the week’s challenge.
  • Leave a comment with ideas relating to the week’s challenge
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]]> Summer of Service Challenge, Giving Back, Random Acts of Kindness, Charity, Family, ParentingMake a meaningful difference this summer by taking the Summer of Service (SOS) Challenge. Here’s how:

  • Commit to do one act of kindness each week based on the week’s challenge.
  • Leave a comment with ideas relating to the week’s challenge as well as your experience(s) performing it.
  • Grab the SOS button at the bottom of this post and put it on your blog or social networking site.
  • Enter to win each week’s giveaway. Check out this week’s family focused giveaway by clicking here.
  • Join #gno to connect with other Mom It Forward moms about the challenge. (Note: 10 lucky winners will receive popcorn gift packs during #gno!)

10 Ways to Make a Difference This Week

Here are 10 ideas to help you Focus on Family that will make a meaningful difference this week!

  1. Choose your favorite games and set aside an hour to play them together as a family.
  2. Enjoy mealtime together, having each person take a turn sharing about his or her favorite part of the day.
  3. Have a talent show where each person in the family is encouraged to participate. Talents can include simple things like doing a karate kick, juggling, or telling a story to more complex things like playing a musical instrument, reciting a poem, or performing a dance number.
  4. Orville Redenbacher's Popcorn, Family, Parenting, Children, Activities, HomeAs a family, write a letter or send a package to a family member that lives far away, expressing your love and gratitude for that person.
  5. Decide on your favorite at-home family activity and plan some time this week to do it. For one extra step, assign each family member a day of the week and allow him or her to choose which family activity to do. Set aside an hour to Focus on Family each day this week.
  6. Make a treat together as a family and share it with a neighbor or other relative.
  7. Create a CD with all your favorite family songs. Listen, sing, and dance to them together.
  8. Choose a favorite family movie and set a time this week to have a family movie night. Don’t forget your Orville Redenbacher’s popcorn! Mmmmm!
  9. Come up with a family mission statement. Identify your family goals and short- and long-term goals. Remember to include fun stuff in your plans like vacations, at-home family activities, etc.
  10. Make time every day this week to spend one-on-one time with each of your children, telling them how much you love them. Do the same with your spouse!

This week’s SOS Challenge is sponsored by Orville Redenbacher’s. What other ideas do you have for Focusing on Family? Please share a comment here, letting us know how Focusing on Family has made a meaningful difference for you and your family this week.
Service,Giving,Mom It Forward

Photo used with permission from Flickr.

]]> http://momitforward.com/focus-on-your-family-this-week/feed 30 RSVP for #GNO & Discover Fun Ways to Focus on Your Family! http://momitforward.com/rsvp-for-gno-discover-fun-ways-to-focus-on-your-family http://momitforward.com/rsvp-for-gno-discover-fun-ways-to-focus-on-your-family#comments Sun, 07 Jun 2009 17:00:14 +0000 Jyl Johnson Pattee http://momitforward.com/?p=1275 Family, Father, Daughter, Child, Parenting

#GNO is talking about focusing on the family, specifically as it relates to spending quality at-home time. We have a terrific panel lined up, including author Kathy Peel and parenting bloggers, Marie from Make and Takes and Vanessa from I …

]]> Family, Father, Daughter, Child, Parenting

#GNO is talking about focusing on the family, specifically as it relates to spending quality at-home time. We have a terrific panel lined up, including author Kathy Peel and parenting bloggers, Marie from Make and Takes and Vanessa from I Never Grew Up among many other fabulous gals. Join the #gno gang here this Tuesday night.


Photo used with permission from Flickr.

]]> http://momitforward.com/rsvp-for-gno-discover-fun-ways-to-focus-on-your-family/feed 14 Giveaway—Win a Popcorn Gift Pack for the Perfect Family Night In! http://momitforward.com/giveaway%e2%80%94win-a-popcorn-gift-pack-for-the-perfect-family-night-in http://momitforward.com/giveaway%e2%80%94win-a-popcorn-gift-pack-for-the-perfect-family-night-in#comments Sun, 07 Jun 2009 15:27:07 +0000 Jyl Johnson Pattee http://momitforward.com/?p=1244 Popcorn, Family, and ParentingOrville Redenbacher’s understands that quality family time at home is made better with a big bowl of popcorn. And, to help Mom It Forward moms meet this week’s Summer of Service (SOS) Challenge to Focus on Family, Orville Redenbacher’s is …

]]> Popcorn, Family, and ParentingOrville Redenbacher’s understands that quality family time at home is made better with a big bowl of popcorn. And, to help Mom It Forward moms meet this week’s Summer of Service (SOS) Challenge to Focus on Family, Orville Redenbacher’s is giving away coupons for popcorn to Mom It Forward’s #gno  community as well as awarding a total of 20 lucky winners some great gifts—four winners on this site, six winners on participating mom blogger’s sites, and 10 winners Tuesday, June 9 during #gno (click here to join the party and win).

Enter to win this week’s giveaway here by reading the rules for entry below. You can also enter at these terrific parenting blogs: Make and Takes and I Never Grew Up.

Giveaway Prizes

Four lucky winners from this site will be randomly selected to win a gift package, including:

  • A popcorn bowl
  • Three boxes of Orville Redenbacher’s popcorn
  • Kathy Peel’s most recent book, The Busy Mom’s Guide to a Happy, Organized Home

Entry Requirements

Busy Moms, Organized Homes, Organization, Family TimeTo enter to win, you are required to do the following four things:

  1. Take this week’s SOS Challenge to Focus on Family by completing one of the post’s 10 suggestions or by performing one random act of kindness that fits within this week’s theme.
  2. Share your experience by leaving a comment on that post.
  3. Tweet about this giveaway sponsored by Orville Redenbacher, including this link: http://momitforward.com/giveaway%E2%80%94win-a-popcorn-gift-pack-for-the-perfect-family-night-in.
  4. Leave a comment on this post by Sunday, June 14 at midnight EDT, including your e-mail address and information about your extra entries, if applicable.

To receive extra entries (for a total of five extra entries):

In the event that you do not win a giveaway, Orville Redenbacher’s would still like you to enjoy family fun with a big bowl of popcorn. Click here to download this coupon for a box of Orville Redenbacher’s popcorn.
The Fine Print
You may enter in all giveaways, but you may only win once. No purchase necessary to enter this giveaway. Winners will be selected randomly through http://random.org. ConAgra employees and Mom It Forward, Make and Takes, and I Never Grew Up family members are ineligible to participate. All entries received after Sunday, June 14 at midnight EDT will not be considered. Entries that do not follow all of the entry requirements will not be considered.

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